Bob McCullough

Robert "Bob" McCullough OAM^[1] is a leading Australian sport administrator particularly in the area of disability sport. He was President of the Australian Paralympic Federation and the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation.

Personal

McCullough was an aircraft engineer and worked for the Australian Public Service.^[2]

Sport administration career

In 1983, McCullough was the inaugural Chairperson of the North Queensland Sports Foundation.^[3] He held this position until 1986. From 1989 to 1999, he was President of Wheelchair Sports Australia (now Australian Athletes with a Disability).^[4] In 1994, he was appointed President of the Australian Paralympic Federation.^[4] He took over the Federation at a time that it had limited funds and near bankruptcy. McCullough put in place a marketing and fundraising strategy that aimed to raise $1.5m for the team to compete at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games.^[4] An outcome of this approach was the Motor Accident Authority of New South Wales providing $100,000 and employment for 10 athletes in the promotion of disabilities through motor vehicle accidents.^[5] Whilst President, he negotiated an agreement with the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee so that the Federation received $5.5m for marketing rights over the four years leading to Sydney 2000.^[4] These financial arrangements coupled with the Australian Governments Paralympic Preparation Program led to the Australian team finishing 2nd on the medal tally at the 1996 Atlanta Games. McCullogh was replaced as President in 1997 by Marie Little. He was a Director of the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (1997-2000).^[4]

McCullough’s contribution to international sport included: President of the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (1996-2001), International Paralympic Committee Executive (1996-2002), and IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2008 Bidding Cities (2001).^[4] In 2001, he was unsuccessful in his bid to become President of the International Paralympic Committee.^[6]

Recognition

He has been recognized for his service to disability sport and regional sport development.

• 1996 – Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to sport through the Australian Paralympic Federation, North Queensland Games Foundation and little athletics.^[1]
• 1996 - Sports Administrator of the Year Award by the Confederation of Australian Sport.^[4]
• 2000 – Sport Australia Hall of Fame General Member ^[4]
• 2002 – International Paralympic Committee’s Paralympic Order ^[7]
• Life Member North Queensland Sports Foundation^[8]

References