Olympic champion Marnie McBean says she was asked to join Hockey Canada oversight group

A Canadian Olympic champion says she was asked to sit on a Hockey Canada oversight committee — but the offer was withdrawn after she lobbied for leadership change in response to the sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the organization in recent months.

Rower and three-time Olympic gold medallist Marnie McBean said she was approached by the high-profile PR firm Navigator earlier this month.

McBean said she was asked to be a member of a special committee of independent experts tasked with monitoring and providing guidance on Hockey Canada's previously-announced plan to eliminate "toxic" behaviour in the sport.

TSN first reported the offer to McBean on Thursday.

McBean told CBC News on Friday that she made it clear to the firm she would consider joining the committee if top Hockey Canada officials were removed.

Michael Brind'Amour is the only board member to announce their resignation since the scandal broke. Brind'Amour said his final term was set to end in November but that "immediate action is essential to address the important challenges facing our organization and our sport."

McBean said that, several days after her initial discussion with Navigator, the firm said other top officials would remain and that the offer for McBean to join the committee was being rescinded.

"I felt when Navigator removed the offer, because they knew my threshold for accepting would not be met by Hockey Canada, that they were also disappointed; they had been anticipating otherwise," McBean said in an email to CBC News.

Navigator and Hockey Canada have not yet responded to requests for comment submitted Thursday. 

Navigator is a well-known crisis management firm. Earlier this year, the Ottawa Police Services tapped the company to help