VANOC CEO John Furlong presented with Sportsman of the Decade award by Sport BC
Influential sportsman honoured for dedication to amateur sport at Sport BC’s 44th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards, presented by TELUS
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Richmond, BC – Sport BC is proud to present VANOC CEO and former Sport BC chair John Furlong with the Sportsman of the Decade award in honour of his leadership in the development of amateur sport, in British Columbia.
For better part of the past decade, John Furlong has been at the helm of the Olympic and Paralympic movement in Vancouver, guiding a growing organization through the preparation and execution of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Prior to his 2001 appointment to the head of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Bid Corporation, Furlong served as President of the Northern BC Winter Games Society, was on the BC Games Society Board and spent ten years as a member of the Canadian Olympic Association Board. He is also a past chair of Sport BC, and earned the Daryl Thompson award from Sport BC for outstanding contribution to sport over an extended period of time.
“John has dedicated his life to building the strong and resilient foundation upon which amateur sport sits in this province,” said Sport BC President and CEO Paul Varian. “Over the past ten years, John has shown tremendous vision and leadership in bringing BC and Canada the purest example of how sport can build communities and unify a nation. British Columbians of all ages have been lucky to benefit from his passion and commitment for more than this past decade and we will continue to feel the positive impact of his latest achievement, these Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, for years to come. He is an individual who truly embodies the spirit of amateur sport and we are proud to honour him on March 31.”
Sport BC will present the award to John Furlong at the 44th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards presented by TELUS on March 31. The ceremony, which will be held at the River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond, BC, is both the first sport recognition event following the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the longest standing sport recognition event in Canada.
To join us in celebrating the contributions of John Furlong over the past decade and the excellence of BC‟s amateur athletes over the past year, visit ticketmaster.ca. More information on the event can be found at www.sport.bc.ca
About Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards presented by TELUS:
Sport BC’s Athlete of the Year Awards is the longest-standing sport recognition event in the country. Awards in 17 different categories are given each year to athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers based on their performance and contribution to sport in the province, with the introduction of 2 new awards in 2010 to celebrate the achievements of BC’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The awards play a valuable role in nurturing athletic success and recognizing some of BC’s growing talents. For a list of previous award winners and for further information on the 44th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards presented by TELUS, please visit www.sport.bc.ca.
About Sport BC:
A leader and an advocate for amateur sport across the province, Sport BC is a driving force in bringing healthy living and sport to the forefront for British Columbians. With a legacy stretching back over forty years, Sport BC continues to propel participation in organized sport provincially, bringing the power of sport to more than 650,000 sport participants and building strong, healthy individuals and communities. For more information, visit www.sport.bc.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Jessica Doherty
Coordinator, Marketing & Communications
Sport BC
T: 604.333.3422
E: jessica.doherty@sportbc.com
