As Canada’s 2024 Olympic team returns home following a record medal haul in Paris, the country has every right to feel proud about how its top athletes performed on the biggest stage in sports.
Whether it was the greatest Olympics in history for Canada or not, it clearly was quite a successful showing.
However, Canada did endure two coaching scandals en route to the 27-medal finish and faces some domestic concerns on funding and leadership as the countdown begins until the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
There are always ways to improve, even after triumphs.
Here’s a look at some storylines Canada’s sports leaders should be focusing on as the next Olympic cycle begins.
Coaching under the microscope
The women’s soccer team’s drone spying scandal loomed large during the first week of the Games, and then sprinter Andre De Grasse’s coach, Rana Reider, had his accreditation revoked by the Canadian Olympic Committee in the aftermath of three lawsuits being filed against him in Florida on allegations of sexual and emotional abuse.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Both stories were bad looks for Canada.
The COC and Soccer Canada were slow to remove women’s soccer coach Bev Priestman from the Olympics, while Reider was originally green-lighted to attend after serving probation for a year for a “consensual romantic relationship with an adult athlete.”
Credit to De Grasse and the soccer team for overcoming distractions and delivering perhaps the two most memorable Canadian performances of the Olympics — the sprinter captured dramatic relay gold, while the soccer team advanced to the quarterfinals after being docked six points.
But make no mistake, this was messy.
Safe sport has been a focus for Canada in recent years after numerous stories emerged about various forms of abuse. There’s still work to do.
Budget crunch
In March, the COC and Canadian Paralympic Committee asked for an additional $104 million in federal funding.
At the time, COC president David Shoemaker said the sport system was “on the brink of a crisis.”
Could that affect the medal count at the next few Olympics?
Anne Merklinger, the CEO of Own the Podium, which is a not-for-profit set up to help Canadian athletes win medals, gave an interesting answer Sunday when asked to assess Paris 2024, per Dan Barnes of Postmedia.
“It’s been a tremendous Games,” she said. “I believe that Canada is really punching far above its weight and thrilled about that. It just shows that the partnership and the system is working on that small part. But the more resources we can get, the greater the impact we can get and the greater the inspiration for all Canadians.”
Summer’s Games, Part 2?
There’s every reason to believe Canadian swim star Summer McIntosh, 17, will be a serious force in the pool again in L.A. after winning four medals, including three golds, in Paris.
To get to that Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky level, however, she needs some help.
Canada’s female swim relay teams didn’t win a medal in Paris after capturing two in each of the past two Olympics.
With successful veterans Maggie Mac Neil and Kylie Masse long shots to continue through L.A., Canada needs to develop some younger talent to help take McIntosh to new heights.
Two struggling sports
Rowing and track cycling were disappointments for Canada this year.
While Canada’s women’s eight boat won silver, it was one of just two rowing teams from the country to qualify.
The third most successful medal sport for Canada in Summer Olympic history, rowing has produced just six medals at the past four Games.
Meanwhile, CBC Olympics reported that illness affected the Canadian cycling team throughout Paris 2024.
It marked the first time since 2008 that this team didn’t have one podium finish at an Olympics.
Improvements in those two sports could give a boost to Canada in the medal table.
Boxing’s international status
With the Russian-led International Boxing Association banned by the IOC, the sport needs to get a respectable governing body in place in a hurry to ensure it remains on the schedule in Los Angeles.
Canada has a rich Olympic history in boxing with 18 all-time medals (fifth among sports), so the COC should want to help find a way to keep this truly international sport going.
Domestically, meanwhile, Canada needs to take a look in the mirror. Rural Nova Scotia’s Wyatt Sanford gave Canada its first boxing medal since 1996 with bronze, but the country qualified just two athletes for the competition.
Teams of destiny?
It wasn’t a great showing for Canada in traditional team sports with only the women’s rugby sevens squad (silver) hitting the podium.
But there is reason to be optimistic on the team front.
In the next Winter Olympics, the NHL returns — which promises to make the men’s hockey competition much more exciting after two Games without the top players in the world.
Meanwhile, Canada figures to be a contender in baseball, softball, flag football and lacrosse when those sports get added to the Los Angeles program in four years.
And while the men’s and women’s basketball teams had disappointing finishes, the amount of young hoops talent in Canada should give the country at least a chance for better showings down the road.
