Back To News
Australian Paralympic Team Co-captain for Tokyo 2020, Danni Di Toro, has issued a call for retiring or recently retired Paralympic athletes to consider a role on the PA Athlete Commission.
The call to action from Di Toro, currently Vice-Chair of the PA Athlete Commission, comes after three Paralympic alumni members were re-elected and four-time Winter Paralympian, skier Mitchell Gourley, was re-appointed.
Gourley also won election to the International Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Council, ensuring Australian Para-athletes have a global voice.
Under the PA Commission’s rules, voting for retired athlete representatives and the Winter sport representative takes place in Winter Games years. To be eligible for a retired athlete spot on the Commission, contenders must have retired within the past three Games. The three re-elected retired athletes – Sarah Rose, Sarah Stewart and current Chair Annabelle Williams – each retired after London 2012, meaning this will be their final term.
“It means that three very experienced community members are going to be standing down, which leaves a role for three new Alumni members to be appointed ,” Di Toro said.
“For us, it’s very much a call to action, trying to get athletes who are retired to think about the impact they can have on the next generation and how they can inform decisions and contribute when we ask for nominations again.
“The power of the athletes’ voice is strong. Paralympics Australia wants to hear these voices and the athletes want to have people advocate on their behalf. To have people who want to be a part of that process, I’m always really proud and moved by that.”
Di Toro said four nominations were received for the retired athletes positions and two for the Winter athlete role. She said Stewart, Williams and Rose had been effective members of the Commission, which was established in 2017.
“The three of them are really experienced but also well connected to the athletes,” she said.
“Annie sits across a number of boards including PA and Swimming Australia. Her connection to the community is very broad.
“Sarah Rose sat on the welfare team for Tokyo. Her knowledge of the different sports and the mental health and welfare needs of those athletes was massive and we’ve really relied on her to make sure we’re servicing athletes in the right way.
“The work Sarah Stewart does in participation, with the Gliders and wheelchair basketball, the work she does with the Paralympic Mentoring Program which PA is supporting, it’s really great.
“The impacts that those three are having are super valuable.”
This will be the first full Paralympic cycle that the Athletes Commission has been in place and Di Toro said much had already been achieved.
“We started with a big blank canvas,” she said.
“Lots of things have been created or modified, such as the strategic framework, the charters, building the relationship with Paralympics Australia and building awareness within National Sporting Organisations. We wanted the Commission to be a place athletes can come to and find a voice but also for PA to get a sense of the athletes’ experiences on the ground.
“There’s a lot still to do, but we’ve already achieved a lot. We’ve created a Welfare Team, transition programs, and induction programs. In the lead up to Tokyo, the AC was involved in helping make athletes’ experiences better, around travel, uniforms and other things like that.”
In addition to being the Winter representative domestically, Gourley’s winning bid to join the IPC Athletes’ Council ensured the Para-alpine skier, who retired after Beijing 2022 last month, would be able to advocate on behalf of the entire region’s cohort.
“It’s amazing and a good indication of how well respected he is within the Winter community. It’s a great opportunity for us to ensure Australia and the region has a voice at the [international] table, which is really important.”
Speaking after joining the IPC Athletes’ Council, Gourley said: “I am incredibly excited to join such a formidable group of representatives on the IPC Athletes’ Council. I am looking forward to continuing their work championing the athlete voice and the power of Para sport to make meaningful change in the broader community.
“Additionally, I hope to explore ways that we can better support Para athlete transitions into purposeful post-sport careers in all parts of society and at all levels of the Paralympic Movement.”
To contact the PA Athlete Commission, email paathletescommission@paralympic.org.au
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 6 April 2022
