20 October 2023
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is calling for expressions of interest to join the Athlete Advisory Committee as three Olympic and Paralympic champions step down.
With 18 Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth games between them, Australian high-performance sport has been in the safe hands of para-swimmer Matt Levy, diver Anabelle Smith and para-alpine skier Mitchell Gourley, who have served as inaugural members of the AIS Athlete Advisory Committee for the past three years.
Established in 2020, the 11-strong group is the only athlete committee to include representatives from summer and winter Olympics and Paralympics Games and Commonwealth Games.
The trio helped shape the future of high-performance sport in Australia by ensuring athletes had a voice in decisions that would impact them.
The Committee have been pivotal in many key projects including the development of the AIS Wellbeing Health Check, 2032+ Australia’s High Performance Sport Strategy, the Athlete Support Agreement template and much more.
Anabelle Smith and members of the Athlete Advisory Committee joined other elite athletes at Champions in Chairs in Sydney.
Chair of the Athlete Advisory Committee and three-time Paralympian Kurt Fearnley announced Smith, Gourley and Levy will step down from the Committee in November 2023.
“Shout out to Mitch Gourley, Anabelle Smith and Matt Levy for their contribution to the Committee over the last few years and in making sure that the athlete voice is heard within the AIS. You're amazing and thank you,” Fearnley said.
Following the resignations, the AIS is seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from categorised athletes to join the Athlete Advisory Committee.
Successful applicants will join the seven remaining Committee members, which include surfing legend Sally Fitzgibbons, Olympic rower Josh Booth and seven-time Paralympian Danni Di Toro.
“If you are an athlete who is interested in athlete representation and who wants to make sure the athlete voice within your sport is heard, please apply, we’d love to have you.”
EOIs close 1 November. Learn more about the AIS Athlete Advisory Committee and express your interest today.