1^st World Outgames on track for a major international success: Sports Director with an experienced team to deliver sports events!

Montréal, 5 October 2005 – Louise Roy, Chief Executive Officer of the 1st World Outgames Montréal 2006, announced today the appointment of the organisation’s new sport director, Michel Langelier. The new director will also be joined by 6 new sport coordinators, bringing the sports team to 10 full-time employees.

Biographical notes:

Michel Langelier – Sport Director

Coming from the realm of sports via the general management of Water Polo Canada, which he headed from 1994 to 1999, and, more recently, the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), Mr. Langelier is a strategic asset in the delivery of 1st World Outgames. He holds a master’s degree in sports administration. Among his accomplishments, he has made important contributions to many key issues and files, including the sound management of public infrastructures in Canada, the mobility of labour within the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the inclusion of women’s water polo in the 2000 Olympic Games and the promotion of knowledge transfer within the field of engineering.

Added to the personnel already in place, the department welcomes five new sport coordinators.

• Sonia Leclair holds a master’s degree in sport and physical activity management, and has related experience in the organisation of sports, specifically in the management of various exterior sites (parks and green spaces) throughout the City of Montréal.
• Frédéric Lauzé holds a teaching degree in physical education and is currently completing a master’s degree in education. His mandate within the City of Montréal’s sport department was to develop sports activities and support regional sports organisations.
• Sandra Bagaria has almost 7 years’ experience in event coordination and management in fields including cinema and the media. Most recently, she worked on the organising committee of the XI FINA World Championships in Montréal.
• Benoit De Guire has more than 15 years’ experience in project management and in sports and leisure management. From 2002 to 2004, he was in charge of the Marcel-De La Sablonnière Centre in Montréal. Added to his university education in communications and public relations, he has a wide range of experience in a number of related fields.
• Stéphane Fortaich has worked for more than 10 years as a coordinator for the department of sports and leisure of the City of Montréal. In addition to a wealth of knowledge in the organisation and planning of sports, he is also an experienced coach. He is currently completing a master’s degree in public administration.
• Yves Lizotte has taught swimming and life-saving for almost ten years. He is also an experienced event coordinator and worked on, among other projects, the cultural programme of the Montréal 2002 games. Within the public events division of the City of Montréal, he coordinated activities for La Fête des enfants de Montréal (Montréal Children’s Festival) from 1999 to 2005 where he established and developed, in collaboration with the Montréal Concordia sport commission and regional sport associations, the sport programme for the festival since 2002.

With 297 days to go before the Outgames, the sport department of the 1st World Outgames Montréal 2006 is thoroughly prepared to take on the challenge of delivering this unique, large-scale event. Everything is now in place to ensure that the Outgames will be an unforgettable experience for athletes and visitors alike.

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