Canadian Olympic chief resigns

[gotosy]

The Canadian Olympic Committee has announced that CEO Chris Rudge is resigning from his position.

"They say timing is everything, and throughout my many careers I've always observed that it is important to know when to go," Rudge stated Wednesday.

"The past seven-plus years have been inspiring and were highlighted by an unforgettable Vancouver Games that are sure to leave an indelible mark on our national soul."

Rudge, who has held the job since 2003, will formally step down on April 15.

He was a member of Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics. Rudge was also on the board of directors for the successful Toronto campaign to host the 2015 Pan American Games.

"It has been a pleasure and a privilege for me to have had Chris as our CEO and secretary general over the course of seven of the nine years of my presidency," COC president Michael Chambers said in the same release.

"I believe we were a great team, and we put in a good many miles together working for the betterment of sport in Canada."

The former executive of Quebecor was also chair of the Own the Podium steering committee for the last two years.

Rudge was front and centre taking the flak during the first half of the Vancouver Games, when the Canadian team was performing under expectations.

He was the one who announced nearly halfway through the Games that the Own the Podium campaign wouldn't reach its goal of winning the overall medal count at the Olympics.

But Canada ended up exceeding its own goals when it ran away with the gold medal total, setting a new Winter Olympics record with 14 golds when the Games were done.

"To all the athletes, coaches and sport leaders I had the opportunity to meet and work with, many thanks for sharing your dreams and passions with Canada; you make us better," Rudge said.

The COC said that it will name a successor in the near future.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur/story/2010/04/07/sp-rudge-resignation.html#ixzz0kRY22ZDh