Meet the passionate new members of the AIS Athlete Advisory Committee

13 February 2024

Paralympians Ben Tudhope and Chris Bond and Olympian Laura Peel have been unveiled as the newest members of the AIS Athlete Advisory Committee.

Paralympians Ben Tudhope and Chris Bond, and Olympian Laura Peel join AIS Athlete Advisory Committee

The purpose of the AIS AAC is to make recommendations to the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Board on matters of importance to high performance sport.

Let's get to know Ben, Chris, and Laura and hear why they are passionate about ensuring athletes have a voice in shaping the future of high performance sport in Australia.

"Athletes play a crucial role in shaping the future of Australian high-performance sport because they bring firsthand experience, insights, and perspectives that are indispensable for effective decision-making. As the ones who train, compete, and ultimately perform on the world stage, athletes possess unique knowledge about the demands, challenges, and opportunities within their respective sports. Empowering athletes to take leadership roles fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability, ultimately leading to a more athlete-centred and successful sporting environment."

Ben Tudhope, Para-Snowboarder and Paralympic Bronze Medallist

"I joined the AIS Athlete Advisory Committee to have a voice in shaping Australian sport in the future using my experience at every level for the last 20+ years as both an able bodied and para athlete. Lived experience I find is very insightful as decisions made at the top don’t always trickle down. Who knows how the system affects athletes better than athletes themselves? Able bodied and Para sport parity is one issue I’m passionate about. To me these are both simply just athletes and sports. Also, I have always thought of Australia as a sporting nation however the stats don’t support this for all of our diverse residents. It would be great to get more Aussies more active."

Chris Bond, Two-time Paralympic Gold Medallist and Australian Wheelchair Rugby Captain

“I've been in the game for a long time now, I hope that with my experience over 15 years in high performance sport I can provide some insights to help improve the athlete experience. But, more importantly I'm looking forward to listening and learning from other athletes and exploring new ideas to be able to best respond to athlete needs in a changing environment and give athletes a voice in shaping the future of high performance sport in Australia. I believe the perspectives and insights that only athletes can provide are extremely valuable, and have the potential to drive a lot of positive change. Collaboration between athletes and governing bodies is key to creating an environment where athletes can truly thrive both on and off the field of play. Something that I'm particularly passionate about is the longevity of athletes, and empowering experienced athletes to continue their competitive careers. There are so many competing priorities for athletes and this often intensifies over time. I'm interested in learning more about how we can respond to the changing needs of athletes to keep them, and their knowledge, skills, and experience in sport for longer.”

Laura Peel, Three-time Olympian and Two-time Aerial Skiing World Champion