World Olympians Association (WOA) has today announced four new Committees and a refreshed line-up for its three existing Committees. The new Committees will provide an enhanced focus for WOA on the environment, recognition and support for Olympians as well as exploring the new concept of OLY-Day.
Featuring experts in relevant fields, Olympians from across the world and WOA EXCO members, WOA’s Committees will provide the framework for establishing key strategies and resource structures to help fulfil the organisation’s mission of serving the needs of Olympians, thereby empowering them to serve the needs of society through the power of sport.
WOA’s newly established Committees include:
The WOA Environment Committee: Created to empower Olympians as champions for environmental issues and advocate for green policies within sport and WOA.
The WOA Awards Committee: Established to develop a strategy for the global recognition of Olympians’ contribution off the field of play.
The OLY-Day Committee: Tasked with exploring the idea of OLY-Day as a global day of community action by Olympians on the day of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
The OLY Jobs Committee: Introduced to build a strategy for professional networking and career support for all Olympians.
WOA’s refreshed, existing Committees include:
The WOA Grants Panel: Responsible for overseeing, reviewing and evaluating WOA Grants to NOAs for Service to Society and Service to Olympians projects and agreeing new awardees.
The WOA Medical Committee: Helps protect the long-term physical and mental health of Olympians and support the commissioning of new research to develop further guidance.
The OLY Arts Committee: Formed to grow and celebrate Olympians’ creativity to support arts, culture and heritage as an essential part of the Olympic Movement.
As part of this process WOA has also reviewed its representative on the IOC Athletes’ Commission and, as Patrick Singleton OLY's term has been completed, he will be replaced by WOA Vice-President Pernilla Wiberg OLY as the WOA liaison.
IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair, Kirsty Coventry OLY, has commented:
"Our partnership with WOA is very valuable to us. On behalf of the IOC Athletes’ Commission (AC), I want to warmly thank Patrick for his great contribution to our work as the liaison between our Commission and WOA over the past years.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Pernilla as our new liaison. As a former member of the IOC AC, Pernilla has first-hand experience of our Commission and will add immense value to our important collaboration with WOA."
World Olympians Association President, Joël Bouzou OLY, said:
"Establishing new WOA Committees and refreshing our existing Committees is an important moment as the Chairs and Members will play a key role in supporting our mission and objectives. WOA is leading the way regarding Olympians’ long-term physical and mental health research and our new Committees will work to deliver pioneering initiatives regarding green policies in sport, the recognition of Olympians worldwide, job opportunities for Olympians and the ground-breaking OLY-Day initiative.
"With close collaboration between the Committees and our EXCO, WOA will continue to ensure Olympians across the world have the opportunity to make a positive impact in their communities."
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