The Federal Minister for Sport, the Hon Kate Ellis today announced five new board appointments for the Australian Sport Commission (ASC) as part of a broader directions paper looking at the future of sport in this country.

Those appointments are: 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games gold medallist rower Kate Allen (nee Slatter), Seoul Olympic hockey gold medallist Sally Carbon, former Australian netballer and champion of women’s sport Liz Ellis, National Rugby League CEO David Gallop and Indigenous hurdling great Kyle van der Kuyp.

The Board will continue to be chaired by Mr Peter Bartels, successful businessman and former Australian representative cyclist. Australian Winter Olympic aerial skiing champion Alisa Camplin and Australian Paralympic Committee President Greg Hartung retain their positions on the ASC Board with Hartung appointed Deputy Chairman.

The Chairman of the ASC, Mr Peter Bartels welcomed the new board appointments.

‘I’m very pleased with the announcement of five new ASC Board members made today by the Minister for Sport,’ Mr Bartels said.

‘They will bring a great wealth of experience as athletes, influential administrators and corporate executives to the important work of the ASC and the many stimulating challenges faced by sport.’

‘I would also like to take this opportunity to thank outgoing ASC Board members Alan Jones, Roy Masters, Kieren Perkins, Geoff Stooke and Pam Tye for the passion and commitment to the ASC and sport in this country in general they brought to their roles on the ASC Board.’

‘I would like to congratulate Minister Ellis and the Rudd government on their commitment to sport at all levels in this country as outlined in today’s sport directions document Australian Sport: emerging challenges, new directions.

‘This directions paper will be a blueprint for how the Australian Sports Commission and all sport will continue to meet the challenges posed by the changing face of sport at the community and elite level in this important Olympic year.’

Australian Sport: emerging challenges, new directions is available from:
www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/sport-australian-sport

Contact: Simon Langford, ASC Media Manager, 02 6214 1298 or 0418 605 541