AusCycling’s new committee puts the athlete’s voice first

The newest part of AusCycling’s governance is not like the others.

The AusCycling High Performance Athlete Committee met for the first time in February to bring to life a promise to “enshrine the athlete’s voice”.

Unlike its other commitees, such as History & Heritage, Nomination, and Ethics & Integrity, this group consists entirely of current elite athletes, in addition to a Board representative.

Retired elite cyclists are also eligible, but, as it turns out, the inaugural committee will be made up of world-class riders who are actively competing at the highest level.

They include Olympic gold medallist Saya Sakakibara, three-time national champion Amanda Spratt, and Tour de France stage winner Simon Clarke.

Amanda Spratt is among the nine-member committee. (Tim de Waele / Getty Images)

The nine-member committee will represent the interests of all athletes within AusCycling, providing valuable input from the athlete’s perspective, and shaping AusCycling’s policies and initiatives to support athlete development and success.

Michael Smith, director of AusCycling and chair of the new committee, said: “In our first meeting, we identified several key issues that we will focus on this year, including selection criteria for junior events, athlete categorisation, and support for injured athletes.

“This committee will be crucial for maintaining ongoing engagement between AusCycling’s leadership and the broader athlete community.

Marne Fechner, CEO of AusCycling, said, “It’s a key step forward for AusCycling to formally embed the perspectives of high-performance athletes in our governance structure.

“I’d like to thank and congratulate the eight committee members for taking on the role of representing their fellow athletes in this important way.

“I’m confident that their efforts and insights will help to improve the wellbeing of our athletes and deliver sustained success for Australia on the biggest stage.”

AusCycling High Performance Athlete Committee

• Amanda Spratt (Road)
• Georgia Baker (Road, Track Endurance)
• Jacqui Mengler-Mohr (Para-cycling)
• Kane Perris (Para-cycling)
• Saya Sakakibara (BMX Racing)
• Simon Clarke (Road)
• Sophie Edwards (Track Endurance)
• Zoe Cuthbert (Mountain Bike Cross-country)
• Chair: Michael Smith (AusCycling Director)

Feature photo: Craig Dutton