North·AWG 2016

Premier re-invites Yukon Olympian to speak at AWG rally, after she was dropped

Yukon’s premier has re-invited former Olympian Jeane Lassen to speak at an Arctic Winter Games pep rally, after she was dropped from the roster because she’s running in the upcoming territorial election.

After Jeane Lassen announced Liberal candidacy, a volunteer told her it was 'inappropriate' to speak

Yukon’s premier has re-invited former Olympian Jeane Lassen to speak at an Arctic Winter Games pep rally, after she was dropped from the roster because she’s running in the upcoming territorial election. (Paul Chiasson/CP)

Yukon's premier has re-invited a former Olympian to speak at an Arctic Winter Games pep rally, after she was dropped from the roster because she's running in the upcoming territorial election.

Jeane Lassen was expecting to speak to athletes on Thursday before the territory's contingent heads to Nuuk, Greenland, but when she announced she was seeking the Liberal nomination for the riding of Takhini-Kopper King, Lassen said she was told by a volunteer that it was no longer appropriate for her to speak.

CBC posted the story yesterday, and later in the evening Lassen got a call from Premier Darrell Pasloski re-inviting her to speak at the pep rally.

He also tweeted his invite, saying he was "proud to personally invite" Lassen to pump up the athletes.

Lassen was the first Yukoner to compete in a Summer Olympics when she was part of the Canadian weightlifting team at the Beijing games in 2008.