Wickenheiser talks about upcoming Winter Olympics, her time at IOC Athletes’ Commission

I don’t think there’s anything that unites Canadians quite like a Canadian Olympic hockey game.

Hayley Wickenheiser is a six-time Olympian and the proud owner of four Olympic gold medals in women’s hockey. She is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, a Canadian icon, a doctor, and the list goes on.

Leading up to the Games, Wickenheiser is encouraging Canadians to “pass the puck” with Canadian Tire. The initiative asks Canadians to take a video of their puck handling and share on social media with the hashtag #WeAllPlayForCanada between Jan. 31 and Feb. 18.

For every pass made, Canadian Tire will donate $1 to Jumpstart, the Canadian Olympic Foundation, and the Paralympic Foundation of Canada to help grow participation in sport in Canada

“I think one of the highlights I saw a couple of days ago was Danielle Goyette made this beautiful pass off the goaltenders’ pads back to me in the Salt Lake Olympics,” Wickenheiser tells CityNews about one of her favourite passes she ever received on the ice.

“I think it was the go-ahead goal to make it 2-1. So one of the most memorable and intelligent passes I’ve ever received. But lots through the years.”

Athletes’ mental health

For the 215 Canadian Olympians making their way to the Winter Olympics in Beijing, 117 are rookies. Wickenheiser says it’s an emotional rollercoaster for athletes’ mental health going to the Games but also returning to Canada.

“For most Canadian athletes, they live a life in relative anonymity where nobody really knows what Canadian athletes do in those three-and-a-half years before the Olympics. And then suddenly everybody pays attention and, and says, ‘Okay, go and bring home gold medals,'” Wickenheiser says.

“And so they’re expected to really perform on demand. I mean, you put your whole heart and soul into getting to the Games and being able to perform for that one moment in time. That’s why the Olympics are so special because we see those amazing performances. And I kind of always went into an Olympic bubble where I shut out the rest of the world and just focused on what I was doing.”

Qualifying to represent Canada and get to the Olympics is stressful enough, but it’s when the Games are over there is a new reality that the athletes have to readjust to again.

“It’s like a big hard drop back to reality which is, you know, making lunches for your kids and back to doing laundry and all of those things that go on with real life. So it’s a different kind of existence for Canadian athletes, especially now in the pandemic. I think a lot of athletes have struggled like everybody to just cope and get through this time and also prepare to be their best. But Canadians persevere,” Wickenheiser explains.

IOC Athletes’ Commission

This year marks the final time Wickenheiser will be a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, a role she has had for the last eight years and spoken out on several issues surrounding the Olympics and the athletes. The Olympian says she is happy the role has come to an end for her.

“I can’t say it was an overly enjoyable experience. It honestly came with a lot of adversity, you’re up against a big machine, you’re trying to do the right things when it comes to anti-doping or when it comes to hosting the Olympics in Tokyo. I really felt like Canadian athletes go in and they fight for what’s right and not everybody does that,” she says.

Just within the last 15-months, Wickenheiser has spoken up about how doctors should have decided Tokyo 2020’s fate rather than IOC. She also called out former Tokyo Olympics president Yoshiro Mori over sexist remarks when he said “women speak too much in meetings,” and then dug himself into a deeper hole a day later when he admitted, “I don’t speak to women much.”

“So I’m actually kind of happy that my time is over. I’m ready to get away from it and move on. You learn a lot about politics and big business in the world of sport on another level, but in some ways, I also wish I never knew some of those things. But it’s a great experience overall and definitely a challenge.”

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games start on Feb. 4. You can watch how Canada’s youngest athlete on the team, Brooke D’Hondt, prepared for the Games here.