John Furlong (sports administrator)

Olympic and Paralympic Games

Furlong chaired the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation (2001–04) and pitched Vancouver in Prague in its bid to the International Olympic Committee to host the Winter Games.

Post-2010

Furlong is chair of Own the Podium, a Canadian not-for-profit created to develop Canada as a world leader in high performance sport.

In the aftermath of the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riots, John Furlong and Douglas Keefe provided 53 recommendations in their September 2011 report, The Night the City Became a Stadium: Independent Review of 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup Playoffs Riot.

Furlong served as advisor to the organizers of the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, British Columbia.

In July 2016, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced that Furlong will chair the Special Committee for Home Games (SCHG) to assist Calgary if it decides to bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In July 2017, Furlong joined the Victoria, British Columbia bid committee for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In August 2017, Victoria's bid was cancelled.

Business activities

Furlong joined the board of Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc.

In 2016, Furlong and Gareth Rees led Rugby Canada's bid for Vancouver's to host the World Rugby Sevens World Series event.

Furlong is chairman of Rocky Mountaineer, a rail tourism company based in Vancouver and board member with its owner Armstrong Group Ltd.

Since 2011, Furlong has served as a member of the corporate board of Canadian Tire retailer.

As a paid keynote speaker, Furlong is a member of the National Speakers Bureau.

Controversies

John Furlong is a controversial figure following revelations of errors and omissions in his autobiography and legal problems arising from abuse allegations.

Patriot Hearts

On February 12, 2011, the one-year anniversary of the Olympics, Furlong published his autobiography Patriot Hearts – Inside the Olympics that Changed a Country.

Furlong claimed in Patriot Hearts that he arrived in Canada in fall 1974. He later changed the date of immigration to 1975 under cross-examination (Robinson v. Furlong). In fact, Furlong lived in Canada from 1969 to 1972 as a Frontier Apostle missionary in Burns Lake and Prince George, British Columbia. In June 1972, Furlong returned to Ireland following threats against his life.

Furlong claimed that Jack Furlong, Furlong's father, identified the body of his niece, Siobhan Roice, after she was killed in the Dublin bombings. Siobhan's family contradict Furlong's claim, having confirmed her own father Edward "Ned" Roice identified her body.

Furlong claimed the May 1974 terrorist bombings in Dublin and deaths of his cousin and his father prompted his decision to emigrate that year. In fact, Furlong returned to Canada over a year following these events, in fall 1975.

Furlong claimed that a recruiter visiting Ireland invited him to set up a high school athletic program in Prince George, British Columbia. In fact, Furlong was already well known to this Prince George high school as their former physical education teacher and coach.

Furlong claimed that he had been a "young teacher with just two years' experience" in 1974 when he accepted a job with a Prince George high school. In fact, he accepted the position with Prince George College in 1975 (not 1974) as a teacher with at least five years' experience (Immaculata Catholic School and Prince George College, 1969–72 and Newpark Comprehensive School, circa 1972–75).

The omission of Furlong's earlier attendance in Canada remains controversial because the timeline coincides with allegations Furlong abused First Nations children while a teacher in Burns Lake (1969–70). Co-author Gary Mason has stated that Furlong never mentioned the earlier attendance in Canada.

Furlong has never discussed his employment at Newpark Comprehensive School in Dublin Ireland (circa 1972–75). During this time, George Gibney, the disgraced former Irish national swim team coach, also taught and managed athletics at the Newpark. In 1976, Furlong told a reporter only that he had managed a government sports centre in Ireland before returning to Canada.

Unfounded athletic claims

Biographies associated with his awards and speaking engagements claim Furlong was the 1986 Canadian Squash Champion. In fact, Jamie Hickox won the 1986 title. Furlong won an age group prize.

In the lead up to 1978 Northern B.C. Winter Games, Furlong claimed he had competed in the Olympics two times. There is no evidence that Furlong attended any Olympic Games as a competitor.

In 1975, Furlong claimed he had played internationally for Ireland for eight years. This claim is unsupported by a timeline that finds Furlong in Canada from age 18 years (1969–72).

Abuse allegations

There have been no criminal charges against Furlong and three civil claims were cancelled, yet there continues to be high-profile advocacy by First Nations and others for further investigation.

On September 26, 2012, The Georgia Straight published an article that reported allegations that children in the 1970s were physically and mentally abused while Furlong was a physical education teacher at Immaculata Catholic School in Burns Lake. The article, by journalist Laura Robinson, was supported by over 45 statements, including eight affidavits. Robinson's response to Furlong's defamation action included additional allegations supported by statements that he emotionally, physically and sexually abused his first and second wives.

Abuse allegations against Furlong have never been heard nor accepted as evidence in court. Three former students, who were not part of the Georgia Straight story, alleged that Furlong sexually, physically, and verbally abused them. In 2013, these three former students filed failed civil lawsuits against Furlong, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, the Roman Catholic Prince George Diocese, and the Catholic Independent Schools Diocese of Prince George.

Based on changes in information from interviews by the RCMP with one of the three accusers, a BC Supreme Court Judge concluded that the woman had not actually attended the school where she had accused Furlong of abuse. Documents presented at trial (Robinson v. Furlong) demonstrated otherwise. A second woman dropped her civil case after it was deemed unfounded. The third plaintiff, a man, also was incorrectly deemed not to have attended during Furlong's tenure at Immaculata. He was found to have already received $120,822 in compensation for a claim against another accused at a different school at the same time period as his claim against Furlong.

Furlong was accused of abusing his wife while they lived in Prince George (1970–72).

Ongoing advocacy

First Nations are continuing advocacy for further investigation into the allegations.

In a November 2015 open letter, three First Nations hereditary chiefs and five Furlong accusers called on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to remove John Furlong from Own the Podium pending a hearing of their claims.

In January 2016, a complaint to the Canadian Judicial Council (CDC) sought appeal of a judge's decision due to incorrect information. CDC dismissed the complaint.

In July 2016, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) passed a resolution to pressure the federal government and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to formally investigate multiple abuse allegations against Furlong.

In a December 2016 complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, six Northern British Columbia First Nations members formally accused the federal government and RCMP of racial and ethnic discrimination in mishandling their allegations that John Furlong abused them.

In January 2017, University of British Columbia president Santa Ono apologized to Furlong for cancelling his keynote address at the February Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation fundraising event for athletes. Days later, Ono announced that UBC had reversed that decision. Ono expressed "deep regret" for UBC's insufficient assessment of the cancellation request and for the impact of cancelling on Furlong. First Nations also expressed concerns about Furlong's role as keynote speaker at the event. In a letter to Ono, indigenous professor Daniel Heath Justice stated the decision to reinstate Furlong “silenced and erased” abuse allegations against Furlong. The cancellation, reinstatement and apologies all received national news coverage from December 2016 through February 2017.

Defamation lawsuits

In November 2012, Furlong lodged and dropped defamation suits against the Georgia Straight newspaper and journalist Laura Robinson. In separate default judgements, Georgia Straight and Robinson were awarded legal costs.

In January 2014, Robinson filed a defamation suit against Furlong and TwentyTen Group. In September 2015, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Wedge dismissed Robinson's claim citing Furlong's qualified privilege to make statements "that might otherwise meet the legal definition of defamation".

Personal life

John Furlong was schooled at St. Vincent's C.B.S., Glasnevin, Dublin.

In 1970, Furlong married Margaret Cook in Burns Lake British Columbia, Canada. Furlong and Cook are parents to four grown children.

In the late 1970s, Furlong lived with Dayle "Dee" Turner in a three-year common law marriage.

In 1984, Furlong married his third wife Gail Robb, fathered one child, and divorced in 2011.

Furlong and Deborah Sharp were married from 2012 until her death in 2013.

In late 2013, Furlong and Renee Smith-Valade became romantic partners. The couple have shared a home since early 2014.

John Furlong raised 5 children.

Awards

Published works