Kitty Chiller honoured with International Olympic Committee Women in Sport Award
She’s had more than a 20-year association with the Olympics and has done almost every job in the Australian team and now the International Olympic Committee will recognise Kitty Chiller as a trailblazer for women’s leadership.
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EXCLUSIVE: She’s had more than a 20-year association with the Olympics and has done almost every job in the Australian team – including being Australia’s first female Olympic chef de mission in 2016 – and now the International Olympic Committee will recognise Kitty Chiller as a trailblazer for women’s leadership.
Ms Chiller has won this year’s prestigious IOC Women in Sport Award for Oceania and News Corp understands that the award be officially announced this week, with the Olympic veteran to attend a gala ceremony in New York on March 11.
The award is in recognition of her efforts to advance gender equality in sport as an athlete and
sports administrator.
“To receive this award is an exceptional honour and very unexpected,” Ms Chiller said.
“I have been involved in sport at some level all my life. I understand the value of sport and the important role it plays in our society … where I have seen first-hand how the benefits of sport transcend the field of play into health, education and community development.
“I am extremely passionate about ensuring that everyone has access to sport and physical activity and to show the increasing number of females working in sports administration that it is possible to play an important role in the future of their sport at a local or global level.”
From media officer to coach, athlete, manager through to head supremo of the Olympic team, and to her current role as President of Modern Pentathlon Australia and Gymnastics Australia chief executive – Ms Chiller has been focused, generous, tough and, above all, resilient.
Not even a horse’s skull smashing into her face could slow down Ms Chiller at the national trials for the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Ms Chiller’s current workload includes: President of the Oceania Gymnastics Union, Executive Committee Member of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), President of Modern Pentathlon Australia and Modern Pentathlon Oceania as well as an Executive Board Member of the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UPIM).
She is also a member of the AOC Executive Committee and the IOC’s Athlete’s Entourage Commission.
Most recently, the 55-year-old has been lauded for the bold Gymnastics Australia initiative aimed at stamping out inappropriate language and body shaming directed at young athletes.
Gymnastics Australia has introduced a Body Positive Guideline in response to concerns that many young athletes – particularly girls, but also boys – were dropping out of the sport because they were anxious and stressed about too much focus on their bodies.
It is believed to be one of the first sporting organisations in Australia to adopt a body-image strategy.
Each year, the IOC Women and Sport Awards are given to women, men or organisations who have made remarkable contributions to the development, encouragement and reinforcement of women and girls’ participation in sport.
AOC president John Coates said: “Kitty has a unique place in Australian sport.”
“She’s a role model and this award from the IOC reflects her outstanding contribution.
She’s the first and only woman to lead an Australian team to an Olympic Games as Chef de Mission.
“An Olympic coach, then competitor, team manager, and ultimately the Chef de Mission in Rio, a role she carried out with great distinction.
“I can’t think of any other Australian who, like Kitty, sits on the International Executives of two Olympic sports as she does with Gymnastics and Modern Pentathlon.
“Kitty continues to contribute to this day as an Executive Member of the AOC, the IOC’s Athletes Entourage Commission and of course guiding Gymnastics Australia as CEO.”
Originally published as Kitty Chiller honoured with International Olympic Committee Women in Sport Award