Swimming Canada has named Dean Crawford as its new president as Cheryl Gibson takes on a new challenge at the FINA Bureau.
Gibson, a 1976 Olympic silver medalist in the women’s 400 IM, has served as Swimming Canada President since 2015. The Edmonton native stepped down from her role, effective Saturday, to assume her new position representing Aquatics Canada on the FINA Bureau.
Aquatics Canada had selected Gibson last fall, and the Union Americana de Natacion (UANA) accepted the nomination.
“I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in aquatic sports at every level, and I’ve appreciated every moment of it,” Gibson, who has been inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and been on the Swimming Canada board since 2012, told Swimming Canada.
“I’m especially proud of the work we have done as a board. I’m looking forward to taking on this next challenge in international aquatics and helping to make our sports even better. Dean has vast experience in sport and has made many meaningful contributions over the years as vice-president of Swimming Canada. I know the board will be in good hands with Dean.”
With Gibson’s departure, in steps Crawford, a member of the Canadian eights rowing crew that won gold at the 1984 Olympic Games.
Crawford, who previously served on the board of Swim BC (2005-13), is an IT professional with decades of experience in higher education and technology.
“My high performance sport background comes from a totally different water sport, where the goal is not to get wet,” Crawford said. “I don’t talk about the gold medal a lot, it’s not the first thing I talk about.
“I have a unique perspective in that I’ve been a club president and a provincial section president. Serving as president of Swim BC shaped a lot of decisions I’ve made on the Swimming Canada board. I definitely want to see more involvement from the broader community. The provincial sections are our members, the clubs are the members of the provincial sections, and the athletes are the members of the clubs. Although we touch them all, there’s a hierarchy that has to be considered when we’re making decisions.”