Carlene Variyan has been appointed as Commonwealth Sport Canada's director-at-large ©CSC

Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) has appointed former Government official Carlene Variyan as its director-at-large.

She is set to join 11 officials including President Claire Carver-Dias and four guest advisors on the CSC Board of Directors, and is excited about the opportunity.

"Commonwealth Sport Canada has a proud and unique history in our country of empowering Canadian athletes and delivering sport for development programmes abroad," Variyan said.

"I am grateful to CSC's leadership for putting their trust in me, and I look forward to making meaningful contributions to our organisation and those it supports."

Variyan has spent a total of 15 years in various Federal Government roles, including serving Cabinet Ministers as chief of staff, deputy chief of staff and director of communications.

From 2014 to 2016, she served on the ruling Liberal Party of Canada's national Board of Directors, and held senior roles on its national campaign teams for the 2015, 2019 and 2021 elections.

Variyan is also a former chair of the Judy Lamarsh Fund, raising money for women running for office.

CSC President Carver-Dias feels Variyan's experience will make her a valuable addition to the Board of Directors.

Canada is one of only six nations to have competed in every edition of the Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images
Canada is one of only six nations to have competed in every edition of the Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images

"Commonwealth Sport Canada takes pride in our governance and management practices," she commented.

"Inclusion of Carlene Variyan on our Board of Directors will not only help strengthen CSC’s ability to promote and support our core values of humanity, equality, and destiny but will also provide better insight into CSC’s Government relations activities."

Canada is one of the leading countries in the Commonwealth Games Federation, one of only six nations to compete in every edition of the multi-sport event since the inaugural British Empire Games in Hamilton in 1930.

A lack of Canadian Government support led to a private bid for Hamilton to host the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2030 collapsing earlier this month.

A potential bid from the Canadian province of Alberta, predominantly featuring Calgary and Edmonton, has been mooted instead for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Canada ranked third on the medals table at Birmingham 2022 with 26 golds.