Home > Rowing Profiles > Webb, William

William Webb OAM

Sydney University Boat Club (NSW)

1981- World Championships- team doctor

1982- World Championships- team doctor

1983- World Championships- team doctor

1984- Olympic Games- Team doctor

1985- World Championships- team doctor

1986- World Championships- team doctor

1986- Commonwealth Games- team doctor

1987- World Championships- team doctor

1988- Olympic Games- team doctor

1989- World Championships- team doctor

1990- World Championships- team doctor

1991- World Championships- team doctor

1992- Olympic Games- team doctor

1993- World Championships- team doctor

1994- World Championships- team doctor

1995- World Championships- team doctor

1996- Olympic Games- team doctor

1997- World Championships- team doctor

1998- World Championships- team doctor

1999- World Championships- team doctor

2000- Olympic Games- team doctor

2001- World Championships- team doctor

2002- World Championships- team doctor

2002-03- Councillor for NSW on Rowing Australia

2003- World Championships- team doctor

2004- Olympic Games- Pre Olympic Tour doctor

Past President of the Australian Sports Medicine Federation

1985-2002- FISA Medical Commission

2004- President of NSW Rowing Association

Bill Webb in a typical pose on tour with Reinhold Batschi - 1992

Bill devoted a large part of life to assisting the Australian teams and he can take credit for the high standard of support given to the teams. The growth in our success of Australian teams can be attributed in a significant part to the development of medical support for the teams.

Bill was the principal medical officer of Rowing Australia and has enhanced the support of team through the strategic use of the Sports Institutes facilities and resources. There have been several important changes to the way our teams have been treated both at home and abroad. The first was clinical in the way Bill established treatments, facilities and equipment for our teams. For example, he pioneered the treatment of stress fractures in athletes which has enabled them to return to competition very quickly. Other changes include the establishment of the position of principal medical officer which arose from the decision of John Coates and John Boultbee. The other has been the establishment of the medical network to provide medical support of athletes during the year. This was created by Bill and Andrew Guerin whilst they held the positions of team doctor and team manager.

Bill then introduced other medical professionals to the team: physiotherapists in 1988 and psychology and masseur support in 1990. He also introduced two teams of medical support during tours to enable the team to get the use of the best professionals available. He has also extended the medical support to under 23 and junior teams.

Finally, Bill has had a big influence in the establishment of a doping control programme in rowing. Bill was also probably the first Australian to have a personal appointment (i.e. not representative) to an international medical commission being the FISA medical commission. Bill died in 2004.

Andrew Guerin 2004

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:

Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
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