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JOHNNY F. BASSETT MEMORIAL AWARD
for Sporting Excellence and Community Values
Lori Johnstone - Racquetball
Nominated by Athletes CAN
Lori Johnstone is dedicated to overhauling sport in Canada. Playing for the national racquetball team from 1991 to 1996, she experienced firsthand the demands of high performance sport. Forced into retirement by serious injury, with the steely will that is her trademark, she taught herself to play left-handed.
It was while competing that Johnstone was first struck by the plight of athletes struggling to meet basic needs while training at the highest levels. Convinced that change could only come through athlete leadership, she decided to become an advocate on their behalf. As chair of Athletes CAN, she insisted that accountability, equity, and inclusiveness be the hallmarks of the organization and that the views and positions of athletes be articulated to governments, sport federations, multi-sport organizations, and the public at large. Her legacy includes strong athlete participation in all decisions affecting them, increased athlete representation in decision making, increased funding of athletes, and the creation of a climate of cooperation that supports, encourages, and assists athlete participation in the boardrooms where sport is governed.
Now sport advisor to the secretary of state (amateur sport) Johnstone's influence is evident in the many changes underway in amateur sport at the national level: development of a national dispute resolution system; additional funding for athletes, coaching, and for Olympic and Paralympic Games preparation; six regional conferences to discuss improvements to the sport system, to culminate in a national conference in April; and the development of a national sport plan to create the optimum environment for Canadian athletes. Above all, she continues to play a leading role in ensuring that athletes' voices are heard and heeded.
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