Halifax 2014 Draws on Global Sport Community

A former athlete and Olympic coach will lead a group of sports experts on the new sport advisory committee for the Halifax 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid Committee.

Frank Garner, former international level athlete, Olympic coach, chief Olympic canoe official and major sporting events administrator was named today, Sept. 8, the director of sport for Halifax 2014.

Mr. Garner will head the Halifax 2014 Sport Advisory Committee which will oversee the selection of sports that will be part of the Halifax 2014 Games bid.

The sport advisory committee includes bid committee representatives as well as sport administrators and experts from the local, national and international sport community. The committee members are:

• Larry Sengstock; director of sport, Melbourne 2006
• Gary Furlong; sport officer, Halifax 2014
• Betty Lou Killen; venues officer, Halifax 2014
• Ken Bagnell; president Sport Centre Atlantic
• Jamie Ferguson; CEO Sport Nova Scotia
• Lindsay Hugenholtz; director of games, Department of Health Promotion and Protection
• Kathy Hare; director of international programs, Commonwealth Games Canada
• Eric Savard; bid director, Commonwealth Games Canada
• Rob Paradis; senior program officer, Sport Canada.

Within the next month, Halifax 2014 will be forming an Athletes Advisory Group, whose chair will also be added to the committee.

The Commonwealth Games Federation requires a minimum of 10 sports out of a total 26 possible sports to be held during the Games. Five of these sports are mandatory (athletics, aquatics, lawn bowls, rugby 7s, and netball). The remaining sports are selected by the host country as part of its bid.

"Halifax has a long and proud sporting history," said Mr. Garner. "The 2014 Commonwealth Games will showcase our sporting tradition and bring a world audience to Nova Scotia."

Mr. Garner and the sport advisory committee will work closely with the National Sport Organizations and International Sport Federations to ensure Halifax's venues meet all technical details and standards.

For the past eight years, Mr. Garner has been executive director of Events Halifax. He was the general manager of the 1997 Senior World Canoe Championships and was an executive board member for the 2003 IIHF World Junior Hockey and 2004 IIHF World Women's Hockey championships.

"Our sport team is working to ensure that we host a world class Games that will meet athletes' needs but will also leave behind a sustainable legacy for future generations," said Halifax 2014 CEO Scott Logan. "The 2014 Commonwealth Games will give young Nova Scotians increased opportunities and access to participate in physical activity and therefore live healthier lives."

The Commonwealth Games are an international sport and cultural event held every four years in which athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and territories compete. In December 2005, Halifax won the right to be Canada's candidate city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

In competition with Glasgow, Scotland, and Abuja, Nigeria, the Halifax 2014 bid committee is now focused on developing and winning the international bid, which will be awarded by the Commonwealth Games Federation on Nov. 9, 2007, in Sri Lanka. For more information see the website at www.2014Halifax.com .