Canadian Paralympic Committee celebrates the team behind the team for Paris 2024

Ottawa, August 21, 2024 – With one week until the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the Canadian Paralympic Committee is celebrating the support team that works to provide Canada’s Paralympians with the optimal environment and preparation to succeed and have the best possible experience at the Games.

Alongside 126 athletes, including competition partners, as well as 117 coaches and NSO support staff, the Canadian Paralympic Team includes 93 mission team staff.

The complete Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team list is available HERE.

“The support staff at a Paralympic Games is so important,” said Josh Vander Vies and Karolina Wisniewska, co-chefs de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. “The Paralympic Games is the pinnacle of an athlete’s career, and we are proud of the way this team is able to focus on their competition and embrace the Games experience knowing they have a full team behind them to ensure they have everything they need. The entire support staff is filled with remarkable individuals who bring their own expertise, hard work, and passion, combining into one amazing Canadian Paralympic Team. We can’t wait to work with and cheer on every single team member in Paris.”

“It truly takes a massive group effort to bring a team to the Paralympic Games,” said Catherine-Gosselin-Despres, chief sport officer, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “There are so many people, all firm believers in growing Paralympic sport, who have been working diligently behind the scenes to ensure the best possible preparations and plans are in place for Paris 2024 and will continue to do so through the duration of the Games to support the athletes with excellence. Thank you to the entire support team staff for their incredible work as we head into the Paralympic Games. We cannot wait for the Games to start.”

A few key leads to ensure all team members are well supported are:  

• Chief Medical Officer – Dr. Andy Marshall
• Games Medical Lead – Dr. Lindsay Bradley
• Wellness Officers – Susan Cockle and Veronique Boudreault

Dr. Marshall and Dr. Bradley have both been involved with CPC for many years. Dr. Marshall is CPC’s longtime Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Bradley is returning for her second Games as medical lead following the Santiago 2023 Parapan Am Games. Alongside a team of medical professionals, they will provide their leadership and services to keep all team members healthy and supported. 

Cockle first joined the team for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and will be back as mental health lead for her third Games. For the first time, CPC will have two wellness officers on the ground, with Boudreault also travelling to Paris, ensuring mental health services are available for all team members in both official languages.

The CPC support team also includes five Paralympians, led by co-chefs de mission Josh Vander Vies and Karolina Wisniewska. Mac Marcoux, CPC’s full-time Athlete Engagement Coordinator, will support with services inside the Paralympic Village. Marcoux, a three-time Paralympian and six-time medallist in Para alpine skiing, retired from high performance sport last year.

Three-time Paralympian Camille Bérubé (Para swimming) will be joining the team as the host of the four Athlete Celebrations presented by Canadian Tire, taking place at Canada Paralympic House.

Andrea Nelson, a Tokyo 2020 Paralympian in Para canoe, is part of CPC’s content team as a host/interviewer and will help share the stories of the athletes with Canadians. Joining her as a face and voice on the CPC’s social media channels will be wheelchair rugby player Melanie Labelle, who competed for Canada at the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games and the first-ever all-women international wheelchair rugby tournament. 

CPC would also like to recognize its partners/suppliers providing support services for the team.

• Air Canada for transporting the entire Canadian Paralympic Team to Paris for the Games, ensuring a safe and comfortable travel experience
• lululemon for outfitting the team, providing all team members with a full kit of stylish and comfortable gear, including adaptive pieces for more inclusive wear
• EllisDon for their expertise in space planning, carbon footprint tracking, and operational services to create an accessible, inclusive, and supportive home for the team at the Village
• Canadian Tire Financial Services for providing results analysis and statistical support  

All of CPC’s corporate partners make it possible for Canada to compete at the Paralympic Games and are significant supporters of the Paralympic Movement in Canada: Premier Partners Canadian Tire, lululemon, Petro-Canada, and Pfizer Canada; Official Partners Air Canada, Bell, Fasken, Groupe Mach, and Toyota; and Official Suppliers Cision, EllisDon, OLG, General Mills, Smith School of Business, Sobeys, Teck, and Wayne Gretzky Estates.

The Canadian Paralympic Team, featuring 126 athletes including competition partners, will be competing in 18 sports at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, taking place August 28 to September 8. Canadians can watch all of the action on CBC/Radio-Canada.  

Follow @CDNParalympics on Twitter/X and Instagram during the Games for all of the latest news and updates about the Canadian Paralympic Team.