Olympic Newsdesk -- Canadian Olympic Celebrations; Japanese PM Welcomes Olympians

Gala, New COC Leadership

John Furlong, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Darlene Poole, the widow of founding VANOC chairman Jack Poole, received the Canadian Olympic order April 23 in Montreal during the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

The event was preceded by a parade through the streets of Montreal by 160 athletes who competed at Vancouver 2010. Among them were moguls skier Alexandre Bilodeau, who was the first Canadian athlete to win gold in Canada.

The event also marked the changing of the guard at the COC as Michael Chambers passed the presidency to Marcel Aubut.

On April 19, Aubut hired Speed Skating Canada director general to replace CEO Chris Rudge. Joining Dupre in the new triumvirate is Chris Overholt, a former Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs’ marketing executive who was hired as chief operating and marketing officer.

IOC Member Maister Steps Down from NOC Post

New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary general Barry Maister will retiring from the post at the end of the year in order to expand his international presence in the Olympic Movement.

Maister, 61, became an IOC member at the IOC Session in Vancouver in February.

"The Olympic environment continues to inspire and motivate me, and I regard my current position as one of the most rewarding and inspiring in New Zealand sport," Maister said in a statement. "My decision to step down from the NZOC at the end of the year will allow me to move into a more international role with the Olympic movement."

He will remain on the NZOC executive board by virtue of being an IOC member.

Mike Stanley, president of the NZOC praised Maister for his service.

"He is widely respected both internationally and within the New Zealand sporting community. He is an outstanding athlete and administrator and believes in the positive role sport plays in society."

A gold medalist in hockey at the 1976 Olympics, Maister competed at the 1968, 72, and 76 Games. He was selected to the 1980 Olympics but did not compete.

Maister served as NZOC secretary general for 10 years.

Japanese PM Honors Olympians

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama honored Vancouver 2010 Olympians and Paralympians during a weekend ceremony.

Hayotyama presented the athletes with a gift.

Japanese Olympians won five medals and the Paralympic team won 11 medals including three gold medals.

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With reporting from Sam Steinberg.