Monaco – 20 September 2017
Peace and Sport, the politically-neutral organisation dedicated to the peace-through-sport movement, has today unveiled a host of new Champions for Peace who will help to spread the organisation’s vision across the world.
Current Champions for Peace include more than one hundred world-famous athletes, including triple Olympic Champion and President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee Tony Estanguet, marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe, four-time winner of the Tour de France Chris Froome, former world number one Novak Djokovic and pole vault world-record holder and two-time Olympic Champion Yelena Isinbaeva.
Peace and Sport’s new Champions for Peace, revealed ahead of the organisation’s tenth edition of the Peace and Sport International Forum in Monaco on 6-8 December, are:
- Didier Drogba (Football, UEFA Champions League winner, Ivory Coast)
- Laure Fournier (Sambo, French Champion, France)
- Tahl Leibovitz(Para-Table Tennis, Paralympic Champion, USA)
- Adrien Maré(Motorsport, Baja World Champion, Monaco)
- Daba Modibo Keita(Taekwondo, two-time World Champion, Mali)
- Zsolt Moradi(Kickboxing, eight-time World Champion, Hungary)
- Sarah Ourahmoune(Boxing, World Champion, France)
- Florent Pietrus(Basketball, Captain of National Team, France)
- Isabelle Yacoubou(Basketball, Captain of National Team, France)
All of the new Champions have demonstrated their belief in the power of sport for change throughout their career, engaging in numerous community-led projects and using their privileged position as athletes to inspire future generation. Together, the new Champions will bring fresh energy and enthusiasm to the cause and will help Peace and Sport enact more change than ever before.
The Champions will begin working immediately, speaking around the world on the power of sport and engaging in a host of field projects. On top of this, the ambassadors will begin to host “Sport Workshops” aimed at inspiring those in poverty to better their socio-economic situation through sport.
Joel Bouzou, Peace and Sport’s President and Founder, said:
“The Champions for Peace have become an incredibly important part of our mission to promote the peace-through-sport movement, and I am ecstatic to welcome so many new faces to our family.
“These athletes will help to spread our message even further than ever before. As we celebrate our tenth year in existence, it is very special to be able to add such talent to our ambassador base.”
Didier Drogba added:
“Experience has taught me that I can use my voice to bring about change and that I can be an example for others. I take my role of ambassador very seriously and I hope that it will give me new opportunities to speak about problems that affect my country and my continent, which are so close to my heart.”
Tahl Leibovitz said:
“It is a great honor to be part of Peace and Sport; an organization that exemplifies what it means to create and sustain life changing experiences through sport. Being a champion for peace is immensely personal for me because it provides the structure and path to help impact society in a profound and meaningful way.”
Daba Modibo Keita added:
“Taekwondo taught me the values of respect, discipline, humility, courage and love. Sport changed my life and helped me to overcome the consequences of war and exile. I now have the responsibility to share my experience. That is why I am proud to become a Champion for Peace, and I cannot wait to get started.”
Read the press kit here
