The triple gold medal winning Paralympic Games swimmer was elected to head the group for the next four years and replaces fellow countryman Todd Nicholson.

As chairperson, Gotell is also now an ex-oficio member of the IPC Governing Board and has been put forward to join the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.

The Council provides feedback and advice between competitors and the IPC.

"It’s a huge honour to be the IPC Athletes’ Council Chairperson," said Gotell, who has also served as vice-chair of the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Athlete Council.

"At the same time it is a little daunting because I think Todd has done an excellent job in engaging Athlete Representatives [for the sports] and building the Council to the level it is at now.

"It has come a long way since he has gotten involved."

Gotell said: "I think this is the next progression in what I have done in the past and what I would like to do in the future, which is creating a voice for the athletes and athlete advocacy.

"That is a huge passion of mine."

Gotell has oculocutaneous albinism which causes her to have poor vision

She won 12 Paralympic medals in all, picking up golds in the 100m backstroke S13 at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

She also won a gold medal in the 200m individual medley SM13 in Beijing.

The 31-year-old was also part of the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games Organising Committee and is entering her final year of studying for a degree at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.