By Duncan Mackay

Jean-Luc Brassard has been appointed as Canada's Chef de Mission for Rio 2016 ©COCOlympic gold medallist Jean-Luc Brassard has been appointed as Chef de Mission for Canada's team at Rio 2016, it has been announced.


Brassard competed in four Winter Olympic Games, capturing gold in the moguls at Lillehammer 1994 to become Canada's first ever Olympic champion in skiing.

Four years later, he carried Canada's flag at the Opening Ceremony of Nagano 1998, where he finished fourth. 

He capped his Olympic career at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Brassard was an assistant to Canada's Chef de Mission Steve Podborski at Sochi 2014.

Olympic swimming gold medallist Mark Tewksbury was Canada's Chef de Mission at London 2012, where the team won only one gold medal, their worst performance since Montreal 1976. 

Jean-Luc Brassard won the Olympic gold medal in the moguls at Lillehammer 1994 ©Getty ImagesJean-Luc Brassard won the Olympic gold medal in the moguls at Lillehammer 1994
©Getty Images

Brassard, a 42-year-old from Quebec, does not believe that that the fact he competed in the Winter Olympics will undermine his position at the Summer Games.

"They speak the same language, it's an Olympian language," Brassard, who has worked as a freelance broadcaster and writer since his retirement, said.

"And at the end of the day, that made me agree to go for Rio, even if it's a Summer Games.

"It's not so much about the technicality of the sports.

"There's no more liaison between a bobsleigh guy and a short-track skater, than a bobsleigh guy and a 100 metre runner."

The Canadian Olympic Committee made the announcement at a Brazilian-themed restaurant in Montreal.

Brassard will meet many of Canada's Rio 2016 hopefuls at a special briefing in Gatineau, Quebec, next week. 

He is hoping to draw upon his experiences at Sochi 2014 to help him be successful at Rio 2016. 

"It was great to remember my past, as an athlete, to try to apply that to find the right words to talk to the actual athletes," he told The Canadian Press.

"The great thing at the time is I think I had no desire to be an athlete anymore, it's long gone for me, in my mind. That case is done.

"But I still want to help the young kids, and I want them to have the opportunity to feel exactly the great feeling that I experienced when I was an athlete, so I tried to find the right words to talk to them.

"And surprisingly, you don't really take care of the winners, because communications grabs them after the race and they reappear the next morning after they went through all the media.

"But you spend a lot of time with the people that didn't achieve the result that they wanted."

Canada won only one gold medal at London 2012 - their worst performance since Montreal 1976 - with Rosie MacLennan triumphing in the women's trampoline ©Getty ImagesCanada won only one gold medal at London 2012 - their worst performance since Montreal 1976 - with Rosie MacLennan triumphing in the women's trampoline ©Getty Images

Among those to congratulate Brassard on his appointment was Chantal Petitclerc, already named as Canada's Chef de Mission for the Paralympics at Rio 2016. 

"I've known Jean-Luc for many years and can attest that he is an exceptionally positive leader, very personable, and someone with a passion for sport who can relate to everyone - athletes, coaches, staff and partners," said 14-time Paralympic gold medallist Petitclerc.

"We definitely share a passion for supporting athletes and seeing Canada at the top of the podium.

"I'm looking forward to working with Jean-Luc over the next couple of years, towards helping create an optimal environment of excellence for Team Canada to perform in Rio."

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September 2014: Five-time Paralympian Petitclerc revealed as Canada's Rio 2016 Chef de Mission