AOC Life Membership is conferred on individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the AOC over many years. They have devoted their time to the Olympic movement, playing key roles in the decision-making processes of the AOC at the Executive level.

Mr Withers has provided outstanding service to the AOC as a member of the Executive from 2001 to 2015.

During that time, he chaired the AOC Audit Committee and was a member of the AOC Finance Commission. He was also a director of the Australian Olympic Foundation (AOF), Chair of its Audit Committee and member of its Investment Advisory Committee.

Mr Withers came to the AOC through his love of Equestrian sport. He was President of the then Australian Equestrian Federation from 2001 to 2006.

Previously he had been the Equestrian Section Manager for the Australian Team at Atlanta 1996 and Deputy Chef de Mission at Beijing 2008. He was the expert course commentator for spectators at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games and Equestrian World Championships.

AOC President Ian Chesterman says Mr Withers is a worthy recipient of AOC Life Membership.

“Russell provided calm and expert advice to the AOC Executive over many years. He was tireless in his efforts to support the Olympic movement.

“While he has a love of equestrian sport, he has always been deeply interested in Olympic sports more broadly across both the summer and winter Games. We are grateful for that interest and the time he contributed to the AOC solely on the basis that he wanted to make a difference, and he did,” Mr Chesterman said.

Mr Withers says sport has been his passion.

“It’s a great honour to be appointed an AOC Life Member.  My involvement with sport and more recently the Olympic movement has been a true passion. To now receive AOC Life Membership is very special indeed.

“This is a wonderful time for the Olympic movement with Paris fresh in the mind and another home Games in Brisbane a beacon on the not-too-distant horizon,” Mr Withers concluded.