For those unfamiliar with Le May Doan, she is a speed skater who was born in Saskatoon. She won the Olympic 500 metre gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan and then repeated the performance with a gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Le May Doan could flat out fly on skates and for a time was simply at the top of the world in the sport with a resume that is both long and illustrious. Her success included a 1,000-metre bronze at the Nagano Games, the World Sprint Champion 1998 and 2002 and World Champion 500-m in 1998, 1999, and 2001, and the list could frankly fill this space.
While Le May Doan may no longer be skating for her country, she will again be in the middle of Canada’s efforts at the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing being named and the chef de mission for Team Canada.
“It’s a volunteer position. It’s sort of the leader the team –the spokesperson,” she explained in a recent interview from Calgary where she is the president and CEO of Sport Calgary, a non-profit organization which delivers a variety of sport and recreation to people of all ages and ability in the city.
Le May Doan said while every team (country) has someone in the position, Canada takes a bit different approach to filling the role.
“Canada only uses an Olympian in the role,” she explained.
The role is one Le May Doan wanted, and applied for the position.
“It’s big,” she said, noting there is significant commitment that comes with the role. “You’ve got to take a month off work.”
And it’s a role where Le May Doan will have a number of functions, from being a liaison for the athletes, to being their shield if issues arise.
“It’s a position of leading a team,” she said, adding should a controversy arise she is the one who will take the lead in talking to media and trying to make sure the other members of Canada’s team can remain focused on doing their best in their events.
“If there’s any sort of controversy you sort of put on the armour, your front and centre,” she said, adding it is her role to ensure “nothing takes anything away from the athletes.”
Of course Le May Doan is not sure what might happen in Beijing, but having been an athlete and involved with media covering Games after her retirement, she has a great deal of experience to draw upon.
“I know what it’s like, but every Games is different,” she said.
The lead-up to the Beijing Games of course starts under the cloud of COVID-19, which Le May Doan noted is already meaning “less travel than I wanted,” with the pandemic putting “a wrinkle in that.”
The pandemic of course creates something of a new role for the chef de mission.
“Our role is to prepare the athletes,” said Le May Doan, adding that will of course include helping them prepare for a Games that will still be impacted by COVID-19.
For many, they have been in ‘bubble’ situations, and are used to daily testing and wearing masks, but there are still challenges.
For example, if crowds are barred as they were at the Summer Games in Tokyo athletes can’t feed off their energy to help them perform at a top level.
“You have to figure out how to get that energy without them (the crowd),” said Le May Doan.
It’s all part of helping the Canadian team be ready.
But, Le May Doan noted, “you can help them prepare as much as possible. But you can’t mimic the Games. The Games is different. It’s bigger, there’s more pressure, more every thing.”
If all goes well, Le May Doan said her primary function will be as the team’s biggest cheerleader helping athletes do their best, which often doesn’t mean a gold medal, or a medal at all.
“For some it will be giving their best performance and standing on a podium,” she said, but added ultimately if an athlete gives their best the day of a performance they have succeeded.
And, Le May Doan said she wants to be right there watching as many of Canada’s athletes perform as she can.
“I’m a fan. I hope to be everywhere,” she said, adding she knows the near impossibility of that given sports spread over three different athlete villages and locales.
It’s all part of a broader philosophy for Le May Doan, who said she remains active in her Calgary role, watching her family in sport, and cheering on Team Canada.
“I believe in sport of life,” she said, adding she even laces up skates ‘for old lady hockey.”
