Coxswain Coates now on the IOC Executive Board

New member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board, John Coates, has come a long way since his days as coxswain of his high school crew.

Australia’s Coates was recently elected to the 15 member IOC Executive Board at the 121st IOC session in Copenhagen. This appointment adds to Coates’ lengthy list of sporting administrative achievements. Coates, 59, is the International Rowing Federation’s, FISA, Continental Representative for Oceania and his work with rowing goes back many decades.

Coates began as a coxswain at his high school. He remained involved in the sport of rowing as a coach before going on to be president and then chairman of the Rowing Australia’s former organisation, the Australian Amateur Rowing Council.

Coates’ Olympic involvement is lengthy. He became a member of the Australian Olympic Committee in 1982 and three years later was made vice-president. Coates now serves as president, a position he has held since 1991. This role saw Coates at the forefront of the Olympic bid for Sydney 2000 and subsequently an undisputed leader of the Sydney 2000 Olympic organising committee. A year after the Sydney Games, Coates became a member of the IOC.

Trained as a lawyer, Coates has led the Australian Olympic Team as Chef de Mission for six Olympic Games.

The World Rowing team values feedback.