Robert Steadward

Robert Steadward, OC, AOE (born May 26, 1946)^[1] is a Canadian author, sport scientist, manager, counsellor, consultant and community volunteer who was the first president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), which he presided from 1989 to 2001.^[2] Prior to that, he had founded the Canadian Sports Fund for the Physically Disabled in 1979. He was also elected member of the International Olympic Committee in 2000.^[3]

Robert Steadward looks on as the Australian flag is brought to the stage by flagbearer Brendan Burkett during the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games.

He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Oregon.^[4] Dr. Steadward is a member of the ^[5]Kappa Sigma Fraternity (Epsilon-Alpha Chapter).

In 1999, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2002 inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame and he received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal.^[6] In 2010 he was appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence.^[7]

In 1978, Steadward founded The Canadian Research and Training Centre for Athletes with Disability at the University of Alberta. Renamed The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement in 2000, the facility is a disability research centre which offers physical activity and sport programs for adults and children with disabilities. He was succeeded as the President of the International Paralympic Committee by Sir Philip Craven in 2001.

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