Phil Coles


Phillip "Phil" Walter Coles, AM is an Australian sports administrator and former sprint canoer. Competing at the 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo, and 1968 Mexico City Olympics, he earned his best finish of ninth in the K-4 1000 m event at the Tokyo games, where he was also the team captain.
He was a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1982 to 2011 and became an honorary member of that organisation in 2012. He has been a member of the Executive Board of the Australian Olympic Committee since 1973, and was a founding member of the Oceania National Olympic Committees. He has also served on the boards of other sporting organisations.
He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1983 "In recognition of service to sport", and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1993.