Expert available to comment on Carey Price and Aboriginals at the Olympics

An expert from Western University that specializes in Aboriginal participation in the Olympic Games says Canadian Olympic men’s hockey team head coach Mike Babcock’s decision to name Carey Price the starting goaltender for tomorrow’s tournament opening game against Norway is significant far beyond what happens on the ice.

“Carey Price joins a short but proud list of Aboriginal Canadians who have represented Canada at the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” says Janice Forsyth, Director of Western’s International Centre for Olympic Studies (ICOS). “His involvement draws attention to Aboriginal contributions to Canadian sporting excellence on the world stage, while highlighting the many challenges Aboriginal athletes face in trying to gain and maintain access to elite level opportunities.”

Price is the first Aboriginal to skate for Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey team since Theoren Fleury participated at Salt Lake City in 2002. The Montreal Canadiens’ all-star goalie is a member of the Ulkatcho First Nation and his mother is a former band chief.

Forsyth is also available to discuss socio-cultural issues such as politics, commercialism, doping, equity, and governance of the Olympic Games, as well as breaking news items from the XXII Olympiad.

To arrange an interview with Forsyth, please contact Western’s Senior Media Relations Officer Jeff Renaud at 519-520-7281 or via email at jrenaud9@uwo.ca

For regular #Sochi2014 updates, media are also encouraged to follow ICOS on Twitter: @westernuOlympic

Commentary reflects the perspective and scholarly interest of Western faculty members and is not an articulation of official university policy on issues being addressed. 

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