Canadian Olympic Committee in full support of Pride

The Canadian Olympic Committee has been a key supporter of Pride, helping to create great progress in Canadian sport throughout the years.

Canada’s Olympic governing body has increased its number of ambassadors to 54 this year, creating a large sporting contingent that will represent and promote the important values of unity between sport and the LGBTQ community.

Three-time Olympic medallist Eric Radford has been a key cog in the fruition of that collaboration. As one of the most accomplished gay athletes in the world, Radford realizes the efforts he and the COC are putting forward will help make sport an even more inviting and unifying space.

“I was the first openly gay man to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics, but I won’t be the last,” the four-time Worlds medalist shared in a COC press release. “The work the Canadian Olympic Committee is doing this weekend will help ensure that sport is a safe place for individuals of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. Who you are attracted to in life should never impact your participation in sport.”

Several likeminded groups will be marching along with Olympic staff and athletes during this year’s Pride parade in Toronto — You Can Play, the NHLPA, the Toronto Blue Jays, Ryerson Athletics, MLSE, and the NHL are all set to be part of this year’s festivities. The COC figures to have an anticipated attendance of 165 people at the Pride parade, making it the largest delegation it’s ever had on hand.

In 2017, the COC was the first national Olympic committee ever to swap its logo with Pride colours, and alongside the Korean Sexual Minority and Rights Centre, created the Pride House PyeongChang at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

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