Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport

Ottawa – May 5, 2022 – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) is excited to share its 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. The plan outlines a clear and bold path for the organization over the next five fiscal years and reflects feedback gathered through extensive consultations with our sport community partners. Endorsed by the CCES Board of Directors, the plan is underpinned by a set of corporate commitments that put athletes at the forefront.

Recent events in Canada highlight more than ever the need to embrace ethical sport: sport that is values-based and fosters safe and respectful environments. By establishing this type of sport culture, we will enable athletes at all levels to experience the joy of sport in a safe environment and to achieve their full potential.

The strategy presents the CCES’s new vision: that sport is fair, safe, accessible, and inclusive. We have set out four high-level strategic priorities that will enable us to address unethical behaviours and promote a values-based approach to sport: True Sport, Anti-Doping, Competition Manipulation, and Ethical Sport Leadership. Each priority will be backed by measurable long-term strategic goals and performance indicators.

“Sport is at its best when it is values-based, when it is ethical. Ethical sport not only protects athletes and the sport system from harm, but most importantly it ensures sport can make a positive contribution to athletes’ well-being and Canadian society,” said Paul Melia, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CCES. “This plan establishes a road map for the CCES to work collaboratively with our partners to address threats to the integrity of sport and build a values-based sport culture.”

“Athletes want to win the right way…but sometimes they need support to do it, and they need to be protected from the threats that may derail them. The CCES’s new strategic plan considers what is required to support and protect athletes and promises to include us in the decisions that affect us,” said Christine Girard, Olympic champion (weightlifting), two-time medalist and CCES board member. “I’m proud to endorse this plan and I believe it will contribute to a positive shift in Canadian sport culture.”

“From an athlete’s perspective, this plan makes me feel confident that we are finally ready to bring about culture change in Canadian sport,” said Tony Walby, two-time Paralympian (judo), chair of Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Athletes' Council, and CCES board member. “The plan is focused on values-based sport. It commits to bringing athletes and other sport partners to the table. This is the foundation that athletes have been looking to create for years.”

The development of the strategy was guided by Benoit Girardin and LBB Consultants Inc. The process included an extensive consultation with athletes and sport community partners, as well as a review of the sport community’s needs. We are thankful to everyone who provided feedback on the CCES’s strengths, the opportunities for development, and areas in which the CCES can provide effective leadership.

Read the CCES’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan.

In order to best position the CCES to implement this new plan, we underwent an executive-level corporate reorganization. We have eliminated the role of Chief Operating Officer and have moved to a more horizontal and streamlined Executive Team to lead the organization, which includes a CEO and President and three Executive Directors. 

We are pleased to announce our Executive Team now includes CEO and President (Mr. Paul Melia), Executive Director, Values-Based Sport (Ms. Karri Dawson), Executive Director, Sport Integrity (Mr. Jeremy Luke) and an Executive Director, Corporate Services (position to be filled shortly). Please contact any member of the Executive Team if you would like to discuss this strategic plan or any of the organization’s activities. 

About the CCES

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport works collaboratively to ensure Canadians have a positive sport experience. Through its programs, the CCES manages unethical issues in sport, protects the integrity of Canadian sport, and promotes True Sport to activate values-based sport on and off the field of play. The CCES is an independent, national, not-for profit organization that is responsible for the administration of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. The CCES acknowledges funding, in part, from the Government of Canada. For more information, visit cces.ca, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

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