top-news Archives - AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN Launches Study in Partnership with Brock University

Posted on 20 November 202419 November 2024 by Alicia Renaud-Paquin

Calling all athletes!

In partnership with Dr. Ashley Thompson and her research team, we are launching a national survey examining athletes’ expectations of their national sport organizations’ (NSO) good governance practices. We would love to get your thoughts on what athlete-centred governance could look like in your NSO.

What’s Involved?

We are asking athletes to complete a short online survey, taking 15 minutes of your time.

Who can Participate?

Any current or retired senior national team athlete. All participants must also be 18 years of age or older.

Why do the Survey?

By sharing your perspective, you’ll contribute to research that could help shape governance policies benefiting athletes in the sport system.

Compensation

Athletes who meet the study criteria and complete the survey will be entered into a draw for the chance to win one of ten $500 eGift Cards from Amazon.ca.

Study Details and Survey Link

Full study details, including compensation, can be found via the survey link. If you would like to participate or learn more about the study, please click on the following link or the button below:https://brock.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4GFC9cugq7XHO6O

If you have any questions about the study, please don’t hesitate to email the lead researcher, Ashley Thompson, at [email protected].

Research Team: Drs. Ashley Thompson (Brock University), Erik Lachance (Brock University), Arthur Lefebvre (Université catholique de Louvain), Géraldine Zeimers (Université catholique de Louvain), and Raul Rosales Zavaleta (Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas).

2025 AthletesCAN Fundraising Calendar and Shop

Posted on 8 November 20247 November 2024 by Jacob Morris

Celebrate Canadian sportsmanship, teamwork, and community spirit this holiday season with the 2025 AthletesCAN Fundraising Calendar and Shop!

Each month of the full-colour, glossy wall calendar showcases inspiring images of Canada’s top athletes and 100% of the net proceeds from sales go directly to support charities or causes selected by the athletes featured in the calendar and future AthletesCAN projects.

You can also showcase your style, and support for AthletesCAN, by purchasing exclusive AthletesCAN gear. The catalogue includes sweatshirts, t-shirts, and hats, available in a variety of colours and sizes, all embroidered with AthletesCAN’s logo. A minimum of $5.00 from each item of clothing sold goes directly to AthletesCAN to support leadership programming for your Canadian National Team Athletes.

Shop now to receive your order in time for the holidays!

2024 AthletesCANBoard Of Directors Election Now Open

Posted on 23 October 202424 October 2024 by Jacob Morris

Voting for AthletesCAN’s three (3) new Directors is now open!

The election period runs from Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 9 a.m. ET – Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 5 p.m. ET. All members of AthletesCAN as of 5 p.m. ET on Monday, October 7, 2024 are eligible to vote for up to three (3) candidates.

The newly-elected directors will be announced at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on November 6, 2023.

2024-25 AthletesCAN Board of Directors Candidates

Sport: Karate
Primary Place of Residence: Gatineau, Québec
Athlete Status: Current Senior National Team member

Candidate Profile

Bio : Hana recently won gold at the Pan American Karate Championships, her third medal at that competition. She also added two Series A medals to her international resume. Selected for the World Championships and the senior Pan American Games, she is among the best in her sport.

After experiencing a mental block during the qualifying process for karate’s Olympic debut in Tokyo, Hana devoted herself to sports psychology. She now devotes her time to helping athletes develop their mental capacity to maximize their performance in competition.

Why do you wish to represent the voice of Canada’s senior national team athletes as a member of AthletesCAN’s Board of Directors? As an active athlete, I experience the challenges and realities of our sports journies every day. I want to represent the voices of the senior national team athletes on the board of AthletesCAN because I understand how important it is to have someone who represents us. Many of us don’t have the time or interest to ensure our concerns are heard but I’m here to be able to make that link. I believe it’s essential for every athlete, regardless of their background, to feel included and heard. I want to ensure our diversity is reflected and that we all have a voice in the decisions that affect us. Together we can create a sport system that truly meets our needs and celebrates who we are.

What is your vision for AthletesCAN and how do you feel you’d contribute as a Board member? My vision for AthletesCAN is an organization that truly represents the voice of all Canadian athletes. By promoting an inclusive, respectful and athlete-centered sport environment. I believe it is crucial to strengthen transparency and encourage the active involvement of athletes in decision-making. This would not only better meet our needs, but also cultivate a sport culture that values every voice. As a Board member, I’m committed to promoting inclusion. So I want to make sure that all those voices are heard and considered in the decisions that affect us. Also, supporting mental wellbeing. So I’d like to advocate for resources and programs focused on mental health and mental performance to help, but not overcome the mental challenges we all face. And finally, to encourage athlete leadership. I’d like to contribute to initiatives that develop leaders capable of influencing policy and being role models for future generations. By working together, we can build a sports system that not only meets our expectations, but also inspires us to excel. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make this vision a reality and strengthen our sports community.

Sport: Rowing
Primary Place of Residence: Victoria, British Columbia
Athlete Status: Recently Retired Senior National Team Athlete for less than 8 years

Candidate Profile

Bio: A retired rower, I brought home Olympic Gold from Tokyo 2020 in the Coxed Women’s Eight. Now, as Vice President of AthletesCAN, I champion causes close to my heart like pregnancy and parental rights for athletes. When I’m not hyping up Canoe Sprint, Kayak, and Rowing as a sports broadcaster at the World Championships or the Paris Olympics, you’ll find me managing Alumni Relations at Royal Roads University, helping drive a $60 million philanthropic campaign—while navigating the chaos and joys of motherhood.

Why do you wish to represent the voice of Canada’s senior national team athletes as a member of AthletesCAN’s Board of Directors?: I’ve been on the board of directors for three years. Two of them as vice president. And, how the board work often gets done is in between, moments, you know, in, in our office, our desk. But it’s something that I’ve been super passionate about. And to be able to see the change that we’ve made on the federal level over the past three years has just been really inspiring and is inspiring me to do, another three years of that. I am a retired rower. I was lucky enough to get gold in Tokyo, with my women’s eight team. And now on to my next Olympic sport. Being a mom, which is also why I’m super passionate about the pregnancy and parental rights committee for athletes and driving that forward.

What is your vision for AthletesCAN and how do you feel you’d contribute as a Board member: There are a couple of things that I bring to the board, from my real world. I’m a sports commentator, so I love sports. I’m involved in multiple sports, going to and speaking at World Championships and even the Olympics. I also have my 9 to 5 work at Royal Roads University. I manage their alumni relations department, and it’s really exactly the same thing we’re doing at AthletesCAN. Building community, making sure our members are taken care of, understanding what their needs are, creating pathways to leadership, and material mentorship. But then there’s also understanding strategic thinking. There’s making sure that we know how to advocate for ourselves to create those funds for our athletes. Right now at, Royal Roads, I’m part of a $60 million philanthropic campaign. So trying to learn how to access funds so that that can go to our membership and, make a real change, a real meaningful difference. I’m really excited to continue the good work, and hopeful that I’m able to do that for another three years.

Sport: Para-Cycling (Road)
Primary Place of Residence: Calgary, Alberta
Athlete Status: Current Senior National Team member

Candidate Profile

Bio: I am a road cyclist competing for Canada in the Para-cycling C3 classification. Throughout my ten years competing internationally I have won a Paralympic bronze medal and two consecutive World Championships. While competing, I have earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary. I have had to rely on my discipline and resilient work ethic to return to competition after a four-year hiatus from injury. From this experience, I redefined my beliefs about high-performance sport and because of this, I am dedicated to contributing to a safer and more accessible Canadian sport system.

Why do you wish to represent the voice of Canada’s senior national team athletes as a member of AthletesCAN’s Board of Directors?: I’m excited to be applying to the AthletesCAN Board of Directors. As the currently appointed treasurer, I would like to just stay involved, ensuring that the organization remains financially viable and that we can continue to offer the great services and programs that are in place to you all, as well as potentially expand them in the future.

What is your vision for AthletesCAN and how do you feel you’d contribute as a Board member: My vision for AthletesCAN is to ensure the organization remains financially viable in the future and continue funding initiatives to support and service our Canadian athletes. In addition, I feel given the financially, uncertain times in the sport system that we look for and source alternative revenue streams, to ensure that we continue funding initiatives but also expand our service offerings for athletes. This ties into the last one which, given this changing Canadian sports system it’s important that our voice isn’t drowned out. That means increasing our membership base and raising more awareness for AthletesCAN so that we as an organization, are taking seriously when consulting important stakeholders.

Sport: Rowing
Primary Place of Residence: Victoria, British Columbia
Athlete Status: Recently Retired Senior National Team Athlete for less than 8 years

Candidate Profile

Bio: Susanne Wereley (Grainger), an Olympic rower from London, Ontario, began rowing at age 13. While on an athletic scholarship at the University of Virginia, she won the NCAA Championships in 2012. She also claimed gold for Canada at the U23 World Championships in 2011 and 2012. After university, Susanne returned to Canada to train with the Senior National Team and earned a master’s degree at Western University. She competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing fifth, and won gold with the Women’s Eight at Tokyo 2020. Now retired from rowing, she is the Communications Manager for Rowing Canada Aviron and a proud mom!

Why do you wish to represent the voice of Canada’s senior national team athletes as a member of AthletesCAN’s Board of Directors?: I rowed for 17 years before retiring in November of 2021. Most notably, I competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics. And I’m proud to say that I was a member of the women’s eight that competed at the Tokyo 2020 games and won a gold medal. I really felt that it was important that I stay connected to sport in a way that continues to support athletes from outside the boat. There were times in my rowing career where I didn’t feel like my voice was being heard, and I didn’t feel like I was the driver of my journey, and I would love the opportunity to be on the board of directors again and continue to amplify your voices, help you be heard, push forward this positive movement that we’re seeing in sport to continue to make things better for current and future athletes.

What is your vision for AthletesCAN and how do you feel you’d contribute as a Board member: I would love for AthletesCAN to just be a household name. I truly think that we’re on this path, and we’re at a tipping point right now where people are listening, people are watching, people are engaged in sport. And I think that AthletesCAN is right there with it. I would really love for us to be the first call for every athlete who feels like they don’t know what their resources are, they need support, or they want to connect with other athletes and have that network of support around them and positive situations just as much as the negative ones when they need help.

Sport: Rugby 7s
Primary Place of Residence: Vancouver, British Columbia
Athlete Status: Current Senior National Team member

Candidate Profile

Bio: Charity Williams is a 3x Olympian and 2x medalist, with over 10 years of experience on the Canadian Rugby team. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, she is an activist, creative, and entrepreneur, currently serving as president of her non-profit, The Function Arts and Cultural Association. Charity is also a varsity student-athlete attending the University of British Columbia.

Why do you wish to represent the voice of Canada’s senior national team athletes as a member of AthletesCAN’s Board of Directors?: I think that I would be a great addition to the AthletesCAN board because I have a strong voice and I come with a lot of experience. Representing the country for, for as long as I have. I know what it feels like to be an athlete and not feel seen or heard or not feel like you know the right avenue to go to. To share whatever you’re going through, with your team and, and with your organization. So I would love to be a bridge for athletes like my teammates and teammates across the country, to feel like they have a voice and they have a say in the policies and, how, athletes in Canada are being taken care of.

What is your vision for AthletesCAN and how do you feel you’d contribute as a Board member: My vision for the AthletesCAN board is to really connect all of the athletes around the country to AthletesCAN. I know that’s a part of our strategic plan for 2025, to have every athlete know what we’re doing here. And I think that’s really important. With my ten years of experience and also with being a black athlete, I think I have a really diverse perspective on what’s going on with black athletes in Canada. And I think I can bring a lot of those voices to the forefront, which I think is really important. I think a lot of athletes don’t know what AthletesCAN is and how much they actually support us. So I think bridging that gap is really important to me, and probably would be the thing that I’m most passionate about and something that I would really want to focus on, starting out if I were elected, to the board. My vision would be to bring AthletesCAN to the athletes, especially ones who aren’t in all games, who don’t go to Panams or who don’t go to the Olympics. I think a lot of those athletes don’t always know a lot of the resources that are available to them.

Call for Nominations for the AthletesCAN Board of Directors

Posted on 8 October 2024 by Jacob Morris

Are you enthusiastic, passionate and committed to improving sport in Canada as an athlete leader? If you answered yes, AthletesCAN has an opportunity for you!

AthletesCAN has three (3) Board of Director positions available. Our Board of Directors is made up of current and retired Canadian athletes who are driven to effect positive change and to ensure the athlete voice is heard. All interested candidates must complete a nomination form (click here) by no later than 5:00 pm ET on Wednesday, October 16th, 2024.

For more information on current Directors and how to submit your nomination, please click here. For the Director role description, please click here.

AthletesCAN at Paris 2024

Posted on 29 August 202429 August 2024 by Jacob Morris

As the association of Canada’s senior national team athletes, AthletesCAN is made up of athletes from all across the country working to give a voice to their peers throughout the Canadian sport system. Many of our volunteers are active athletes who travel all across the world to compete for Canada at the highest level of sport. With the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games approaching, meet some of the AthletesCAN directors and volunteers who you can cheer on while they represent Canada in Paris.

Greg Stewart - F46 Shot Put

Greg has represented Canada internationally in Sitting Volleyball and Para-Athletics and is the defending F46 Shot Put Gold medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Greg was elected to a three-year term on the AthletesCAN Board of Directors in 2022 and sits on the Forum and Leadership committees. A passionate advocate for mental health, Greg regularly speaks about the importance of being vulnerable and expressing emotions in a positive, constructive fashion. In the last year, Greg has visited 28 schools and shared his message with over 8000 students. Greg is also a published author, co-authoring the children’s book “Stand Out” about his journey to Paralympic Gold.

You can watch Greg defend his Paralympic title at Stade de France on September 4, starting at 4:05 AM ET.

Bo Hedges - Wheelchair Basketball

Bo is a veteran of the Canadian men’s wheelchair basketball team, first joining the senior team in 2007 and now serving as one of its co-captains. His impressive resume includes representing Canada at four previous Paralympic Games, winning Gold at London 2012. An expert in governance, bylaws, and building organizational processes, Bo sat on the AthletesCAN Board of Directors from 2017-2023, serving as Vice-President for two years and Secretary for one year. Bo continues to work with AthletesCAN as a volunteer on the Leadership Committee, helping to develop tools, policies, and procedures to guide the next generation of athlete leaders. In addition to his work with AthletesCAN, Bo has served on the Board of Directors of the BC Wheelchair Basketball Society since 2007 and is currently the society’s board chair.

You can watch Bo, and the entire Wheelchair Basketball team, compete in Group A of the Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Tournament at Bercy Arena. The tournament starts on August 29, with Canada’s first game on August 30. The medals are awarded on September 7.

Nathan Clement - T1 Para-Cycling

Nathan will be competing in his first Paralympic Games as a para-cyclist in Paris, but not at his first Paralympics. As a para-swimmer, Nathan won a bronze medal at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games in the 50m butterfly and finished 7th in the same event at the Rio 2016 Paralympics. Nathan retired from competition in 2018 but had his competitive fire reignited by an 11-day, 1,000 km bike trip across BC in 2020 and returned to para-sport as a cyclist in 2022. Outside of sport, Nathan works in media, contributing to stories about accessibility and disability in sport and life for a variety of outlets, in addition to performing speaking engagements. Nathan is an incredibly passionate and motivational person – both characteristics that shine through his work. Nathan currently volunteers with AthletesCAN as a member of the Sponsorship Committee, where he helps support AthletesCAN in its athlete education and empowerment work by developing partner outreach and engagement strategies and fundraising initiatives, and fund athletes across Canada.

You can watch Nathan go for Gold in the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois in the Men’s T1-2 Time Trial on September 4, and the Men’s T1-2 Road Race on September 7.

Michael Sametz - C3 Para-Cycling

Michael began representing Canada internationally in C3 para-cycling in 2014 when he represented Canada at the UCI World Championships. After his Gold medal in the Time Trial at the 2018 Road World Championships, Michael missed almost four full years of competition due to injury and illness, before returning to the sport in 2023. In only his third competitive race since returning to the sport, Michael won Bronze in the C3 Road Race at the 2023 UCI World Championships. Michael holds a degree in accounting from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary and has previously worked with the Canadian Paralympic Committee in Revenue Generation. Michael currently volunteers with AthletesCAN as the organization’s treasurer, upholding good governance on behalf of senior national team athletes and ensuring AthletesCAN meets his high standards for organizational excellence.

You can watch Michael in the C3 Time Trial on September 4, and the C1-3 Road Race on September 7, both on the roads of the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois.

Josh Vander Vies - Co-Chef de Mission

Josh was one of Canada’s top boccia players for over a decade, representing Canada at the Athens 2004 and London 2012 Paralympics. At London 2012, Josh and partner Marco Dispaltro became the first-ever Canadians to win a Paralympic medal in the BC4 category, winning a Bronze medal in the pairs competition. A passionate athlete advocate, Josh served as an athlete representative to the International Boccia Committee, as Chair of the Canadian Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Council from 2008 to 2012, as an AthletesCAN Board Member from 2008-17 and as AthletesCAN’s President from 2014-17. Josh remains an active volunteer with AthletesCAN as a member of the Ethical Sport Committee. In his life outside of sport, Josh runs a law practice specializing in charity law and estate litigation. In his most recent challenge, Josh is the new Director, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the Vancouver Airport Authority, where he works to make YVR a more inclusive place for all who work and travel there.

As Co-Chef, you can watch for Josh leading Team Canada’s athletes at the Paris Paralympics!

Nominations Now Open for the 47th Canadian Sport Awards

Posted on 3 July 20243 July 2024 by Jacob Morris

TORONTO – AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, announced today the opening of nominations for the 47th Canadian Sport Awards. Founded in 1972, the awards recognize the spirit, drive, and commitment of Canada’s international-level athletes, coaches, volunteers, and sport leaders.

Canadians all across the country are encouraged to nominate athletes, coaches, volunteers and leaders who demonstrated greatness on and off the field of play in the past year. Canadians can fill out a digital nomination form or email a fillable PDF to [email protected] to nominate a member of the Canadian sport community who went above and beyond in the last year.

This year, the Canadian Sport Awards will recognize the hard work of the team behind Team Canada with the inauguration of the Athlete Support Award. This new award recognizes a Canadian citizen, charity, or business who has made significant contributions to supporting Team Canada athletes off the field of play. The award recognizes the significant contributions of those individuals and groups who work to ensure Team Canada athletes have the resources necessary to succeed in their athletic endeavours.

The 47th Canadian Sport Awards will recognize athletes and sport-system leaders across seven different categories of achievement: the AthletesCAN Social Responsibility Award, the True Sport Award, #AthleteVoice Award: Rep of the Year, the Bruce Kidd Leadership Award, the Randy Starkman Award for Leadership in Sports Journalism, the Athlete Support Award, and the People’s Choice Award: Most Trending Moment of the Year. Detailed descriptions of all the awards and their eligibility criteria are available in the award guidelines package.

Nominations will be accepted until 11:59 PM PT on October 31, 2024. The finalists will be announced in early December 2024 and the winners of the awards will be announced at the Canadian Sport Awards the week of December 9.

About AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive athlete organization in the country and the first organization of its kind in the world.  As the voice of over 6,000 current and recently retired Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN membership spans 68 sports across the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan/Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games, and those currently funded by Sport Canada competing at Senior World Championships.

AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centered sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture, through educational resources, support, training and professional development.

For more information, please contact:

Jacob Morris
Coordinator, Communications and Digital Media
AthletesCAN
613-526-4025 Ext. 224
[email protected]

Contract Basics for Athletes

Posted on 12 June 202412 June 2024 by Jacob Morris

By Robyn Jeffries (Case Manager), Brayden Mulhern (Caseworker) & Daniel Torch (Caseworker)

The Sport Solution Blog is written by law students and is intended to provide information and the team’s perspectives on current issues. However, the Blog is not intended to provide legal advice or opinion. Athletes in need of assistance should contact the clinic directly at [email protected].

Contracts are more than just pieces of paper; they are binding agreements that dictate terms of engagement between parties. In the sports world, contracts can govern relationships between athletes, associations, sponsors, and other involved parties. Understanding contract basics is paramount for athletes to protect their rights and interests. Below are some key points every athlete should know.

Contracts in sports are legally binding agreements. Once signed, the parties involved must adhere to the terms outlined in the agreement.

Athletes must pay close attention to the content of a contract before signing. Contracts should clearly outline each party’s rights, obligations, and responsibilities, leaving little room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.

In certain circumstances, a contract can be partially or entirely invalidated. This can occur due to unclear provisions or if the contract is against public policy. However, it is critical for athletes to raise concerns regarding a contract before signing it. Once executed, it is challenging for an athlete to contest its terms. Courts have held that concerns should be addressed before the contract is finalized. In cases where the athlete has little bargaining power, athletes should make formally known any reservations about certain terms of the contract. Without this, the athlete is in no position to complain later on.

Understanding these contract basics empowers athletes to protect their rights and interests in the competitive world of sports. Whether negotiating sponsorship deals or participation agreements, clarity and vigilance are key to ensuring mutually beneficial agreements.

What is a contract, and what types might an athlete encounter

A contract is a legally binding agreement. A contract represents the meeting of the minds of the parties. Contracts in sports are subject to the same principles of contract formation as any other form of employment agreement. There are a multitude of contracts that an athlete may encounter throughout their career. Here are some of the most common ones:

Player Contracts: These are agreements between athletes and their teams or clubs, outlining the terms of the athlete’s employment or participation with the team. Player contracts typically specify the athlete’s salary, bonuses, duties, rights, and obligations, including provisions related to performance expectations, conduct, and duration.

Endorsement Contracts: Professional athletes often enter into endorsement contracts with companies or brands to promote their products or services. These contracts may involve the athlete appearing in advertisements, endorsing products, making public appearances, or participating in marketing campaigns in exchange for compensation or other benefits.

Guaranteed Contracts: In certain sports, such as professional basketball and American football, athletes may negotiate guaranteed contracts that ensure they receive their full salary regardless of injury, performance, or other factors. Guaranteed contracts provide financial security and stability for athletes but may come with higher salary caps or other limitations for teams.

Performance Bonuses: Some athlete contracts include performance bonuses based on individual or team achievements, such as reaching specific statistical milestones, winning championships, or receiving awards and honours. Performance bonuses incentivize athletes to excel and achieve success on the field or court.

Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs): Professional sports leagues often operate under CBAs negotiated between players’ unions and league management. These agreements establish rules and guidelines for player contracts, salary caps, revenue sharing, free agency, and other aspects of player-employer relations within the league.

Insurance Contracts: Athletes may purchase insurance policies to protect against career-ending injuries or income loss due to disability. These insurance contracts provide financial compensation in the event of covered injuries or circumstances that prevent the athlete from playing or earning income from their sport.

These are just a few examples of the types of contracts that professional athletes may encounter. These contracts’ specific terms and conditions can vary widely based on the athlete’s sport, marketability, bargaining power, and other factors.

What are the essential ingredients of a contract?

Six elements are necessary for a binding and enforceable contract in Canada:

Capacity: In Canada, the legal age to enter a contract varies by province or territory, but you must typically be at least 18 years old. The person must also be of a sound mind while understanding all elements of a contract and entering into it. Generally, individuals under the age of majority, typically 18, may still enter into contracts in certain circumstances. However, contracts involving minors are subject to specific rules and limitations.

Offer: This is the manifestation of willingness to enter into a bargain with another party. It is usually the first step toward establishing a contract.

Acceptance: Acceptance is an unconditional willingness to be bound by request. Acceptance mirrors the conditions of the offer. If any variation is communicated from the party to which the offer was earlier made, the communication would not be an acceptance but a counteroffer. In the counteroffer case, the party who initially made the offer is to accept or decline the counteroffer.

Consideration: There can be no contract without consideration. Consideration is something of value given in exchange for a promise. A contract would clearly state what is being sought and for what consideration. In a typical athletic contract, the consideration flowing from the offeror of the contract would be a salary or other payments, while the consideration flowing from the athlete would be their athletic performance.

Mutual Agreement: For a contract to be valid and legally enforceable, the parties to the Contract must agree on the same terms in the same sense. If there is any confusion concerning any of the terms, articles, or considerations, where the parties to the Contract interpret it for a different purpose, it could invalidate the Contract.

Legality: A contract is automatically invalid or non-enforceable if any aspect of the contract is not legal. The Contract should be for a legal objective, procured via legal means, and executed legally. Any illegality in the object, procurement, or execution might make the Contract void, which could not be legally enforced.

Most sports contracts are express contracts. An express contract is a contract in which the agreement of the parties is evidenced by their words, whether spoken or written. There are virtually no more implied contracts in the sports industry. An implied contract is a contract in which the agreement is not evidenced by written or spoken words but by the acts and conduct of the parties. Regardless of whether a contract is implied or explicit, if one of these six essential elements is missing from a given contract, then either party may have legal grounds for repudiating the contract or arguing that a valid contract had never been formed in the first place.

Besides missing one of these six essential elements, there are other grounds for a contract to be deemed invalid or non-enforceable. While there are many grounds for this happening, some of the most common ones are listed below:

Misrepresentations: When one party to the contract, typically the offeror, makes specific intentional misrepresentations about facts or terms of the contract that are essential to the contract.

Mistakes: These are unintentional but can still invalidate a contract. An example would be an athlete’s contract stating that the athlete is signing up to play for a team in British Columbia when in reality they were meant to play for a team in Manitoba.

Undue Influence: When a party to the contract is pressured by either the other party(s) to the contract or by other outside sources, and the only reason they signed the contract was due to the pressure imposed on them, the contract will be invalidated.

Duress: Similar to Undue Influence, if a party to the contract only signs because someone else is making them feel as though they have no choice, and otherwise, consequences will follow, they have signed under duress, and the contract will be invalidated. Signing under duress typically means that someone has threatened violence against you or someone important to you or severe intimidation was used against you. However, there are other forms where someone can claim they signed a contract only under duress.

A Frustrating Event: When some external event occurs that is through no fault of either party to the contract, the contract may be invalidated. An example of a frustrating event could be what we saw in Canada with the COVID-19 pandemic, where many people could not perform their contractual obligations due to a multiplicity of factors brought on by the virus.

What are an athlete's rights as the offeree?

When an athlete is offered a contract, it is imperative for them to understand the nature of their rights and obligations as the offeree.

Request for more information or clarification: The athlete may request any details or clarifications required to satisfy the “mutual agreement” requirement. All parties to a contract must understand its terms and conditions before acceptance, as the contract then becomes legally binding.

Counteroffer: If the athlete disagrees with a term in the contract and wishes to have it clarified or altered, they may present the offeror with a counteroffer. This may also take place in the form of negotiations. A counteroffer will nullify the previous offer and transfers the right of acceptance to the initial offeror, who may then accept or reject the counteroffer or issue another counteroffer to the athlete.

Acceptance: The athlete may accept the offer. Accepting the offer renders the contract legally binding. Thus, acceptance should be deferred until the athlete understands and agrees to all terms of the contract.

Rejection: It is important for an athlete to understand that, when offered a contract, they retain the right to reject the offer entirely or in part.

Things for an athlete to be aware of:

Expiry of the offer: It is important to be aware of any timelines attached to the offer.

Revocation before acceptance: The offeror retains the right to revoke an offer at any point prior to the athlete’s acceptance.

Irrevocability after acceptance: An athlete must remember that once an offer is accepted, it becomes a legally binding contract, and they may become liable for breach of contract for failure to adhere to its terms.

Key Takeaways

Be sure to identify what type of contract you are privy to, whether it be a playing agreement, a sponsorship contract, insurance contract, or broader CBA.
Keep in mind the elements of a contract, which include offer, acceptance, consideration, capacity, and legality. If any of these elements are missing, there is NO contract/legally binding obligation for either party.
Always be aware of your offeree rights to request more information, counteroffer, and accept or reject. Reflecting on contractual defects that may occur – including misrepresentations, mistakes, undue influence, and duress – may aid in seeking a potential remedy.

If you are unsure whether to sign a contract, seek independent legal advice or reach out to Sport Solution at [email protected].

Citations

AthletesCAN, “The Future of Athlete Agreements in Canada” (December 2021) online: <athletescan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/the_future_of_athlete_agreements_in_canada_final_eng_1.pdf>.

Rachel Islam & James Sifakis, “The Future of Athlete Agreements in Canada (Phase II):
Redefining the Relationship” (October 2016) online: <crdsc-sdrcc.ca/eng/documents/The%20Future%20of%20Athlete%20Agreements%20in%20Canada%20(Phase%20II).pdf>.

Sport Law, “A New View of Athlete Agreements” (May 7, 2006) online: < sportlaw.ca/a-new-view-of-athlete-agreements/>.

Sport Law, “Some Basics on Contracts” (September 5, 1996) online: <sportlaw.ca/some-basics-on-contracts/>.

Waddams et al., Cases and Materials on Contracts, 6th ed (Toronto: Emond, 2018).

Yellowbrick, “Understanding Sports Contracts: Key Factors and Negotiation Tips” (November 3, 2023) online: <yellowbrick.co/blog/sports/understanding-sports-contracts-key-factors-and-negotiation-tips/>.

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Byron Green – Wheelchair Rugby

Posted on 5 June 20243 June 2024 by Jacob Morris

It’s Our Turn, AthletesCAN’s new marketing campaign focuses on the stories of athlete leaders across the 68 sports eligible for AthletesCAN membership. The campaign highlights a pivotal moment for a new era in sport governance, underlining the athlete representatives’ respective journeys into the athlete advocacy movement both in their careers and within their National Sport Organizations (NSOs).

Each week, AthletesCAN profiles a key athlete leader among its membership, highlighting how athlete representation has played a significant role in their career and within their National Sport Organization.

Byron Green

Name: Byron Green
Sport: Wheelchair Rugby
Position / Event: 0.5
National team tenure: 2013 – Present
Hometown: Comox, B.C.

How did you first hear about and get involved in your sport?

I was first exposed to wheelchair rugby while I was going through rehab in 2001. I broke my neck and it resulted in a spinal cord injury. I spent about a year in rehab and my therapist at the time, a gentleman by the name of Duncan Campbell, introduced me to the sport, of wheelchair rugby. And funny enough, he is actually one of the inventors of the sport, which is super cool. Not a lot of people can say that they were introduced to a sport by one of the creators of it, so I’m pretty proud of that. Duncan is an amazing guy, so I’m really fortunate to have that connection with him. I got involved going through rehab, but it wasn’t until a couple of years later when Duncan reached out again. I had moved to Vancouver for a university and he told me about this new intro to Wheelchair Rugby night that was starting up. And I started going out to that and I was hooked.

Why is it important for the Canadian Sport System to prioritize an athlete-centred experience?

I think it’s important for the Canadian sports system to focus on an athlete-centric experience because really, sports are about the athletes. We’re the ones participating in it, driving it forward, growing the game. And we have a lot of great ideas. And, you know, there’s a lot of great people within within sports across Canada. We have a lot to give and we have some really innovative ideas and ways to grow the game, whatever sport that is. So if we can empower our athletes to to have impact on decisions around everything to do with sports, I think it’s just going to improve the experience for everybody and get more Canadians involved in sport, which is huge. That would be it would have such a beneficial effect across our country. So yeah, I think empowering our athletes it is the way to go.

How have you used your athlete voice on behalf of your peers and how has it impacted your sport journey?

I’ve been pretty fortunate in my in my experience with wheelchair rugby that I’ve been given the opportunity to have a bit more of a voice. I serve as the athlete rep on our board of directors for Wheelchair Rugby Canada. So I’ve been really fortunate to have some input on the decision-making process at that level and then recently Wheelchair Rugby Canada and myself, we started an athlete council. So we’re really happy with that step and really proud that I could, you know, be a part of that process and creation of Athletes Council that will help support, help steer and guide Wheelchair Rugby Canada moving forward into the future with decision making and trying to improve the experience for wheelchair rugby athletes all across Canada.

What is your favourite memory being an Athlete Rep / being involved in athlete advocacy?

My favourite memory of being involved In that realm of things is to see the impact that I have had at the grassroots level. Just when I can get a new person involved in the sport, whoever that is, and whatever their goals are around the sport, it’s just really empowering to see someone falling in love with with with an activity like, like wheelchair rugby that gets them active it connects them to a group of like-minded peers and it just can have so many beneficial impacts on that person’s life. So that’s why it really stands out to me as that as favorite memory.

What have you learned about being a leader in your sport?

To surround yourself with good people. Because you know, there’s always so much to do. So if you can really have a good support network around yourself and and enable other people to do what they do best, I think that’s the sign of a good leader. I’ve been guilty in the past of trying to do everything myself and feeling like that’s what a leader should do. But I think it’s as I’ve learned over the years, that is it is the exact opposite. And you should be trying to empower other people to do what they do best and to help achieve a common goal.

Why should your peers join AthletesCAN and/or get more involved in the leadership of their National Sport Organization?

I would really encourage any athlete in Canada that is feeling like they want to learn more about like getting into governance or just having a bit more of a voice to reach out to AthletesCAN. There’s such a wealth of information there, and I know early on in my journey I didn’t have a clue about a lot of things. Right. It’s all about learning and and tapping into people that that can share their experiences with you. And AthletesCAN has a wealth of that. So definitely reach out and either go to one of the annual conferences or just reach out for help. I know that actually back on creation of our Athletes Council, I relied on the terms of reference that AthletesCAN has on their website. And, you know, use that as a starting place and then just modified it to fit for our needs. So yeah, just an example of what AthletesCAN, can do to help out and, and just empower athletes.

Now Recruiting! Intern, Digital Content

Posted on 30 May 202430 May 2024 by Jacob Morris

AthletesCAN is recruiting for an Intern, Digital Content to join our team for the Summer/Fall on a part-time basis. This paid intern will work closely with our operations and communications teams to develop engaging and high-quality digital content, including graphics, videos, social media, and website posts, graphical templates for AthletesCAN’s social media and website, and help identify and anticipate stories for our target audiences.

This position is ideal for both post-secondary students in communications, marketing, graphic design, or sport management programs, or current or retired Senior National Team Athletes looking for additional experience or part-time work while training or competing. The ideal candidate will possess excellent oral and written communication skills, organizational skills, and a working knowledge of Google Workspace and digital content creation tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and Canva.

If you are interested in applying, submit your resume and cover letter to [email protected] before June 16, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT. Please include “Application – Intern, Digital Content” in the subject line of your email. Applications received after this date may not be considered.

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Alison Levine – Boccia

Posted on 29 May 202430 May 2024 by Jacob Morris

Alison Levine

Name: Alison Levine
Sport: Boccia
Position / Event: BC4
National team tenure: 2014 – Present
Hometown: Montreal, Que.

How did you first hear about and get involved in your sport?

I first heard about Boccia because I had played many other sports, many different para sports. So my sport previous to Boccia was wheelchair rugby, and it was Marco Dispaltro of current Boccia athlete who came to a tournament that I was volunteering at. Looking to see if there would be any players that would be eligible to be athletes for Boccia. And I was just volunteering at the time and I kind of saw him with a set of balls and wasn’t so sure, but kind of worked up the courage to go speak with him. And at first he wasn’t so sure that I’d be able to class into the sport. But then when he saw me throw a few balls, he quickly became very interested and told me that I had potential and I think six months later I was on the national team.

Why is it important for the Canadian Sport System to prioritize an athlete-centred experience?

Without athletes, there would be no sport. So having a Canadian sport system that isn’t solely focused on the athletes just doesn’t make sense to me. As athletes, we’re the ones that are putting our health at risk, our body at risk, doing what we do, and we do it because we love it. But we’re the pinnacle where we’re the focal point of sport.

How have you used your athlete voice on behalf of your peers and how has it impacted your sport journey?

I feel like it’s been very difficult to make any change in my sport, but I feel like I’ve set the stage for changes to be made. I feel like my organization knows that they have to put us first. I feel like while it can be really hard to see major changes, I can kind of see a switch in maybe the mentality or the thinking in terms of let’s consult with an athlete before we make decisions now instead of getting feedback after. I think it’s a very slow process, but one that’s critical and vital. And I do think that organizations and the greater sporting organization Sport Canada are starting to realize that they have no choice and they really have to be listening to the athletes.

What is your favourite memory being an Athlete Rep / being involved in athlete advocacy?

It’s kind of broad, but one of my favorite things is just spreading awareness about Boccia because most people don’t know the sport. And I still remember attending my first AthletesCAN forum and meeting everyone from all the different Olympic sports and Paralympic sports and some people hadn’t heard of Boccia and I was just kind of a little shy and definitely, you know, looked different than all the other athletes there. But we had a a social night where we were just playing some icebreaker games and whatnot, and I kind of just let my personality shine and that’s where I really made connections that are both to this day that were there athlete representations from from Olympic sports that I would have never had the opportunity to interact with. But most importantly, what came through that was really the networking and knowing that the issues that I face and we face in my sport seems to be pretty universal across the board of all the other sports. So being able to feel that support from fellow athletes or athletes that are now retired and being able to reach out to them and be like, Have you experienced this? And if you did, how did you manage it and do you have any advice for me?

What have you learned about being a leader in your sport?

Being a leader in my sport, I think the most pivotal thing is realizing that just one voice isn’t just one voice. When I speak, I can speak on behalf of my teammates. I can speak on behalf of everyone from the grassroots level all the way up to the elite level. I feel like I’m able to represent the majority of what Boccia athletes are thinking and wanting by reaching out to them, taking people’s opinions. I feel like all the times that I put myself on the line and maybe push a little bit too hard against organizations or, you know, do something that I know maybe there might be a little bit of repercussions, but this is what really needs to be said. I feel like every time I do that, I’m making those changes for maybe not the current, but definitely the next generation of athletes that are going to be coming through the system.

Why should your peers join AthletesCAN and/or get more involved in the leadership of their National Sport Organization?

As an athlete, you you have to take accountability for your sport. You have to know that you are representing it. And it’s not just for you, but it’s for the next generations of athletes coming through the system. So all the hardships and all the times where you were frustrated and thought, this makes no sense. It can make sense for the next the next generation of athletes. Your voice is a tool that you may not think makes a difference, but it creates that atmosphere of letting everyone know that this is the way things need to be. It needs to be athlete-centered. And whether you’re still in your sport or just retired or retired for a long time, you can start making those changes by getting involved.

A lot of athletes aren’t sure about implicating themselves. They’re maybe newer to the sport or maybe they’ve been in it for a long time, but they just don’t feel that they have they don’t feel that they have a place or they feel like they don’t know enough about the system. And I have to say, when I started, I knew nothing about the system either. And I have had nothing but positive experiences of other athletes teaching me or just learning as as you go and never have I had any situations where where someone’s been like, Well, you should know that it’s always just a learning experience and we want more athletes involved. The more we are, the louder our voice is. So I say, Don’t be shy. And if you’re thinking about it or hesitating, come on in.

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About AthletesCAN

Contract Basics for Athletes

By Robyn Jeffries (Case Manager), Brayden Mulhern (Caseworker) & Daniel Torch (Caseworker)

What is a contract, and what types might an athlete encounter

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Key Takeaways

Citations

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Byron Green – Wheelchair Rugby

Byron Green

Now Recruiting! Intern, Digital Content

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Alison Levine – Boccia

Alison Levine

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