Patrick Johnson acknowledged with prestigious IOC award

Callan Morse Published March 11, 2024 at 4.40pm (AWST)

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Johnson was one of six to receive an IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award. (Image: Dan Himbrechts/AAP)

Former Olympic sprinter Patrick Johnson has been awarded the International Olympic Committee's Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award for Oceania.

Johnson was one of five continental winners acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) as trailblazers who are working tirelessly on advancing gender equality, diversity and inclusion in sport.

The proud Kaanju man joined Sport Integrity Australia in 2023 to help the organisation address discrimination, abuse and mistreatment across all levels of Australian sport and ensure Sport Integrity Australia's work in this space is appropriate and informed.

Sport Integrity Australia says Johnson's acknowledgement recognises his "20-plus years of advocacy work for equal rights and inclusion for all Australians in sport, in addition to various Indigenous leadership roles".

Sport Integrity Australia chief executive, David Sharpe, said Johnson's advocacy and contribution to sport was far-reaching.

*Johnson's 100m time of 9.93 set in Japan in 2003 remains an Australian record. (Image: Reconciliation Australia)*

"This award acknowledges Patrick's commitment, through his many roles in sport, to a sporting environment that is culturally safe, where Indigenous Australians feel included, recognised and safe," Mr Sharpe said.

"We look forward to working with Patrick to embed culturally safe practices in our agency and for everyone in sport."

In addition to his role at Sport Integrity Australia, Johnson is also the Chair of the Australian Olympic Committee's Indigenous Advisory Committee, a Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee Board Member, and an Indigenous Advisor for Australia's High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy.

More than 20 years later, Johnson remains the Oceanian and Australian 100 metres record holder with a then world record time of 9.93 which he ran in Japan in May, 2003.

International Olympic Committee 2023 Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Awards

Global: Katrina Adams (USA)

Africa: Irene Limika (Kenya)

Americas: Marialoreto González Jaque (Chile)

Asia: Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala (Sri Lanka)

Europe: Aurélie Bresson (France)

Oceania: Patrick Johnson (Australia)