Aquatics Canada (AC) has selected Swimming Canada President Cheryl A. Gibson, QC, FCPA, FCA, OLY, as its nominee to become the next FINA Bureau Member from Canada. The Union Americana de Natacion (UANA) has accepted Gibson’s nomination and will be putting her name forward at the FINA General Congress in spring 2021.

AC represents Canada on behalf of the four aquatic sports: Diving, Artistic Swimming, Water Polo and Swimming.

“We are thrilled to have Cheryl, a 1976 Olympic medallist, take on this new role,” said AC President Lisa Schott. “She has an athlete-first approach and will bring strong Canadian values to the position.”

Gibson was a multiple international medallist over a nine-year national team career. Her many accolades include induction to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and the Swimming Canada Circle of Excellence. She has served on the Swimming Canada board since 2012 and previously served on the board from 1983-1994. Gibson took on the role of president in 2015 and has overseen Canada’s emergence as a leading swimming nation over the past five years.

A lawyer and chartered professional accountant, Gibson is Counsel at the law firm of Dentons Canada LLP and is recognized as a leading expert in the field of Canadian tax law. Her resume includes roles as a Governor of the Canadian Tax Foundation and as a member of the Administration and Finance Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

“UANA is delighted with the nomination of Mrs. Cheryl Gibson as the next FINA Bureau member representing Canada and the American continent. Cheryl is a great example of a former elite athlete giving back, very successfully, to aquatic sports over the years in many different capacities,” said UANA President Maureen Croes. “Cheryl’s credentials and experience will give UANA a qualified representative who has shown to always be a positive advocate for the athletes. We are excited to be working more closely with Cheryl for the continuing development of the aquatic sports across the entire American continent.”

Gibson will assume the FINA Bureau Member role in the summer of 2021, succeeding Dr. Margo Mountjoy MD, PhD, CCFP(SEM), FCFP, FACSM, Dip Sport Med, who served in that role for the past 12 years, and prior, as the Chair of the FINA Sports Medicine Committee for nine years. During her tenure, she implemented athlete health research and knowledge translation projects, as well as spearheading the World Aquatics Day, and the FINA Swimming for Life program. Her recent work has been the development of athlete safeguarding policies and COVID-19 related policies.

A former artistic swimmer and a sport medicine consultant, Dr. Mountjoy is the Dean of the School of Medicine at McMaster University (WRC) and is the Clinical and Academic Lead of the Health and Performance Centre at the University of Guelph. In addition to her work at FINA, she has collaborated with the World Health Organization on a variety of projects, and  is a member of numerous international sport medicine organizations including the IOC Medical Commission (Games Group), the World Anti-Doping Agency (Health Medicine + Research), World Rugby (Antidoping Advisory Committee), FIFA (Scientific Advisory Board), and as the Chair of the ASOIF Medical + Scientific Committee.

“Aquatics Canada is grateful to Dr. Mountjoy for her significant contribution to aquatics in Canada and the world,” Schott said.

“I am excited to continue the life cycle of my involvement in aquatics; from development swimmer, to elite swimmer, to Board member, to president of Swimming Canada and now as a FINA Bureau Member,” Gibson said as she looks ahead to her new role

“Sport has been an integral part of my life. I look forward to the opportunity to enhance the experience of today’s aquatic athletes and their future in sport.”