Perspectives on doping from Para coaches
Less research has focused on doping in Paralympic sport than Olympic sport. A recent study focused on Para sport coaches showed that they identify doping as an issue in Para sport and that it often stems from financial incentives and pressure to win.
How sport organizations are addressing climate change
Sporting events leave a large carbon footprint between the built infrastructure and emissions from participants and spectators. The International Olympic Committee and around 300 other signatories have agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. This past summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham pledged to leave a carbon neutral legacy. Team Canada implemented its…
Navigating motherhood in high performance sport
“As an athlete, you’re always thinking about yourself. Then my daughter, Kate, comes along and that whole perspective totally changes. I had to make every moment count, whether I was being a mom with Kate, or training at the gym,” says 2-time Olympian, Mandy Bujold. The Canadian boxer discusses her fight to earn a spot…
Mental health at the Olympic and Paralympic Games
One hundred days before the Tokyo Olympic Games, World Champion rower Caileigh Filmer was ready to quit her sport. But instead, she decided to inspire others by sharing first-hand accounts of her experience with depression. Discover how the people responsible for mental health for Team Canada learned from the experiences of athletes like Filmer to…
Changing the rules
A high incidence of injury rates observed during Para alpine events at the 2014 Sochi Winter Paralympic Games led to a close collaboration between sport technical officials, host officials and the IPC Medical Committee. That collaboration led to rule changes, such as racing earlier in the day when snow conditions were better, which greatly reduced…
Normalizing mental health in high performance sport
When USA Gymnastics legend Simone Biles put her mental health ahead of the competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, she elevated discussions around mental health to historic levels. For Canadian athletes and team officials, working to normalize the conversation around mental health also took centre stage. Read more about Team Canada’s approach to mental health…
Major games legacies
When measuring the strength of any Major Games, such as the Olympics and Paralympics, the legacy it leaves behind can be a determining factor. Legacies can take many forms, including infrastructure advancement and social impact. Considering the impact of a country’s previous large, multisport events plays an important role in the success of its bids…
Mom’s Got Game
When moms get regular physical activity, they report feeling better, sleeping better, and feeling better able to ‘unwind.’ But finding the time to be active or experiencing feelings of guilt or selfishness over prioritizing oneself can stand in the way. For SIRC’s Mom’s Got Game initiative, read about the experiences of Olympic and Paralympic athletes,…
Equitable hiring practices
The Paralympic Games have put a global spotlight on the disability community. In the workplace, building welcoming and inclusive spaces starts by hiring people with disabilities. In fact, new research suggests that employees with disabilities tend to have higher performance ratings and lower turnover rates, helping companies and organizations thrive.
Mom’s Got Game! Stories of world-class athletes and gold-medal moms
Fourteen months ahead of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, curler Jennifer Jones had a nasty accident, tearing a major ligament, the ACL in her knee. She was pregnant with her first child and hoping to represent Canada at the Olympics. “Because I was pregnant, a lot of people never thought that I would be able to…