Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport

(Ottawa, Ontario – May 1, 2013) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) welcomes three new members to its Board of Directors. Debbie Muir, Dr. Don McKenzie and Dr. Jack Taunton bring a strong background in sport, medicine, and leadership to the CCES.

“Each of the new members is a pioneer in their field and we’re very proud to have them on board,” said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. “Debbie Muir’s track record as a coach and consultant speaks for itself, and Drs. McKenzie and Taunton’s background in sport medicine will prove to be an invaluable asset to the CCES.”     

Dr. Don McKenzie is professor and director of the Division of Sports Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He has been the team physician for the Canadian Canoe Team for over 30 years and is the chair of the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee of the International Canoe Federation. He has served as president of the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology and has an active research program. His research is centered on respiratory exercise physiology and exercise and breast cancer.

Debbie Muir is one of Canada’s most successful coaches, leading the Canadian National Synchronized Swimming Team to four Olympic medals plus seven world championships. In 2008 and 2010, she was selected by the Canadian Olympic Committee as its mentor coach. Past honours include: Alberta’s Female Amateur Coach of the Decade, induction into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and being named one of the top ten all-time coaches in Canada.

Dr. Taunton is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Division of Sports Medicine at the University of British Columbia and is the director of sports medicine for Fortius Sport and Health. He was the chief medical officer (CMO) for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games and CMO for Canada at the Sydney Olympics, two Pan American and two World Student Games. He was also the team physician to the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies. He was inducted into the BC Athletics Sports Hall Of Fame and the Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame and was named to the Globe and Mail 2012 Power 50. 

Brief biographies of Ms. Muir and Drs. McKenzie and Taunton are available on the CCES website: www.cces.ca/governance.

The CCES would also like to thank and acknowledge the contributions of its departing board members, Ron Bremner and Dr. Jane Moran.  

“Ron Bremner and Dr. Jane Moran have been dedicated board members for six years,” said Mr. Melia. “We can’t thank them enough for volunteering their time, knowledge and passion to clean sport. They have been instrumental in our pursuit of delivering a sport system to Canadians that is fair, safe and open to everyone.”

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport is an independent, national, not-for profit organization. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. We are committed to working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.

-- 30 --