issues and experts

Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – SFU experts available

February 04, 2026

Canadian athletes are donning their Team Canada gear and prepping to go for gold at the Winter Olympics in Italy, opening on Friday.

Canucks across the country will be cheering on their Olympians with the Games providing a welcome distraction from the political tension and uncertainty of recent weeks. 

Experts from Simon Fraser University are available to provide insights on the following Olympic-related topics:

Geopolitics and sport

JAMES HORNCASTLE, assistant professor, humanities, Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations 
jhorncas@sfu.ca 
Expertise: the geopolitical impact of the Olympics on global conflict, international relations, U.S. foreign policy moves, Russia-Ukraine war, strategic studies, defence policy, irregular warfare, Iran. 

AARON HOFFMAN, professor, political science
aaron_hoffman@sfu.ca
Expertise: geopolitical events shaping this year’s Games, international relations, terrorism, counterterrorism, U.S. foreign policy, international security issues, political communication, trust.

Elite athletes/anti-doping

DAVID CLARKE, associate professor, biomedical physiology and kinesiology
dcclarke@sfu.ca
Expertise: sport physiology, sport data analytics, wearable technology, athlete monitoring, athlete development, science of anti-doping.

Gender equality in sport

TRAVERS, professor, sociology 
atravers@sfu.ca
Expertise: Transgender issues, trans kids/youth, sport and social justice, transgender participation and sport, female eligibility policies in sport.

Canadian Olympian who attended SFU

Skeleton: Jane Channell - Track and Field, Softball at SFU

Contact

ROBYN STUBBS, SFU Communications & Marketing   
604.376.0971 | robyn_stubbs@sfu.ca

SAM SMITH, SFU Communications & Marketing  
236.880.3297 | samuel_smith@sfu.ca 

Simon Fraser University   
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory   
778.782.3210

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY  
Who We Are

SFU is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, SFU has been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, SFU fosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver—SFU has ten faculties that deliver 368 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.

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