View source for Robyn Smith (sports administrator)

{{Short description|Australian sports administrator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2022}}
'''Robyn Smith''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} is an Australian sport administrator particularly in the area for disability sport. In 2021, she was elected as an Independent Member on the Governing Board of the [[International Paralympic Committee]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=13 December 2021|title=Virtus Vice President Robyn Smith elected to IPC Governing Board|url=https://www.virtus.sport/virtus-vice-president-robyn-smith-was-elected-to-ipc-governing-board|access-date=29 January 2022|website=Virtus}}</ref>
==Personal==
Smith was born 15 July 1960 in Melbourne.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://www.clearinghouseforsport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/865217/Sydney_Paralympics.pdf|title=Australian Media Guide: 2000 Paralympic Games Sydney Australia|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|year=2000|location=Sydney}}</ref> She lives in [[Benalla|Benalla, Victoria.]]
==Sport administration career==
Smith's community involvement in sport includes as President of Benalla Little Athletics and coach of the [[Benalla Football Club|Benalla Saints]] Netball team.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Ruppert|first=Simon|date=26 January 2022|title=Benalla has three locals in the Australia Day Honours List|work=Riverne Herald}}</ref> In 1990, Smith became the Chief Executive Office of AUSRAPID (now Sport Inclusion Australia) and holds this position as of 2022.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=26 January 2022|title=IPC Governing Board Member Robyn Smith receives Medal of the Order of Australia|url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/ipc-governing-board-member-robyn-smith-receives-medal-order-australia|access-date=29 January 2022|website=International Paralympic Committee}}</ref> At the [[2000 Sydney Paralympics]], Smith was Assistant Chef de Mission for the [[Australia at the 2000 Summer Paralympics|Australian Team]].<ref name=":2" /> After the [[2000 Sydney Paralympic Games]], athletes with an intellectual disability were suspended from the Paralympic Games following the cheating by the Spanish Paralympic Basketball Team at the Games. Smith with [[Marie Little]] led the fight for the re-inclusion of athletes with an intellectual disability into the Paralympic Games.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Clark|first=Laine|date=9 April 2003|title=Paralympics door ajar for ID athletes|work=AAP Australian Sports News Wire}}</ref> In December 2020, Smith was appointed Chair of Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability which is a collaboration of nine national disability sports organisations.<ref>{{Cite web|date=3 December 2020|title=New Australian Sporting Alliance Working Together Towards a More Inclusive Future|url=https://www.sports.org.au/news-feed/2020/12/3/new-australian-sporting-alliance-working-together-towards-a-more-inclusive-future|access-date=29 January 2022|website=Disability Sports Australia}}</ref>
Smith was the Oceania representative [[International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability]] (now known as Virtus) from 2011 to 2013. In 2013, she was the first female elected as vice president of Virtus. She was re-elected vice president in 2017. Smith was the chief executive officer of the Global Games Sports Company with organised [[INAS Global Games]] in Brisbane in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 September 2019|title=Brisbane's 2032 Olympics bid boosted by the world games for the intellectually impaired|work=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-12/brisbane-2032-olympic-bid-boosted-by-inas-global-games/11495230|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref>
In December 2021, she was elected vice-president of the [[International Paralympic Committee]]. Smith's campaign for vice-president used the slogan "#EveryoneIncluded – a call to action that more needs to be done for people with disabilities, and those who are underrepresented or come from marginalised regions, to be included in sports."<ref name=":0" />
Smith is a member of [[2032 Summer Olympics|Brisbane 2032]] Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (BNEOCOG) Board due to being the Australian member of the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board.<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 December 2021|title=Renowned Queenslanders nominated for Brisbane 2032 Olympic Committee|url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/renowned-queenslanders-nominated-brisbane-2032-olympic-committee|access-date=29 January 2022|website=Prime Minister of Australia}}</ref> In commenting on her appointment, Smith said "“My goal over the next decade is for every young child who is born or acquires a disability sees sport as an avenue to be included."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Johnson|first=Hayden|date=14 December 2021|title=Latest face on Brisbane's powerful Olympic Games committee revealed|work=Courier Mail|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/latest-face-on-brisbanes-powerful-olympic-games-committee-revealed/news-story/cb7e6916290dd68038cfa3135959f4f7|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref>
==Recognition==
Smith is a life member of the Goulburn Valley Netball Association and Goulburn Valley Sports Association. In 2000, she was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] for outstanding contribution to the development of sport for the intellectually disabled.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Robyn Smith|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/970225|access-date=29 January 2022|website=It's An Honour}}</ref> In 2011, Smith was Benalla Rural City Citizen of the Year.<ref name=":1"/> In 2019, awarded Service to Sport Award, [[Australian Institute of Sport]]. In 2022, Smith was [[Order of Australia|OAM]] for service to people with disability through sport.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-01-26|title=Ms Robyn June Smith|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/2010291|access-date=2022-01-29|website=It's an Honour}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Robyn}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Australian sports executives and administrators]]
[[Category:Paralympics Australia officials]]
[[Category:International Paralympic Committee members]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:People from Benalla]]
[[Category:Living people]]