Ten athletes coming from all continents and ten different sports have been announced as ambassadors for the latest Believe in Sport campaign. It is an initiative from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that aims to raise awareness among athletes, their entourage members, and officials about the threat of competition manipulation.

The latest cohort of Ambassadors are:

• Matelita Buadromo (Fiji, Swimming)
• Jane-Anne Claxton (Australia, Field Hockey)
• Mark Fraser (Canada, Ice Hockey)
• Esra Gümüş Kırıcı (Turkey, Volleyball)
• Kady Kanoute Tounkara (Mali, Basketball)
• Yura Min (South Korea, Figure Skating)
• Khotso Mokoena (South Africa, Athletics)
• Ayako Rokkaku (Japan, Baseball)
• Dominik Windisch (Italy, Biathlon)
• Arthur Zanetti (Brazil, Gymnastics)

Empowering athletes at Milano Cortina 2026

Mark Fraser, Yura Min, and Dominik Windisch will engage with athletes and their entourages at dedicated Believe in Sport booths in the Olympic Villages in Milan and in Cortina d’Ampezzo. 

“I would like to help the athletes and the different team members be more aware about the risks and the rules against competition manipulation. It is important that we encourage them to report violations and explain where and how to do so properly”, said Dominik Windisch, a triple Olympic medallist and World Champion in biathlon, who is looking forward to sharing his experience with the next generation of Olympians at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in his home country of Italy.

Yura Min added: “Being an ambassador for the Believe in Sport initiative means a great deal to me, both as an athlete and as a mentor. The upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 are an opportunity to share the values of integrity, fairness, and respect in sport—principles that have guided me throughout my career. I’m proud to help raise awareness about the importance of match fixing and to inspire the next generation of athletes to compete with honour and purpose, both on and off the ice.”

“It is an honour to represent the IOC as a Believe in Sport ambassador”, concluded Mark Fraser. “Competition manipulation is a genuine threat at all levels of elite sport. As a former professional athlete, I understand the pressures and temptations that today’s athletes face, and the importance of creating a safe space to learn about the real risks around them. The Olympics are the pinnacle of athletic competition, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help protect its integrity and support our athletes in this way.”

Playing an active role in engaging athletes

All ambassadors underwent a thorough selection process led by the IOC’s Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC) in close collaboration with National Olympic Committees (NOCs), Continental Associations of NOCs and International Federations (IFs), ensuring strong representation across sports and regions. They also completed a training workshop at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, to be fully equipped for their new role.

“By putting elite athletes at the heart of this campaign, we expand its reach and strengthen the fight against competition manipulation”, said Friedrich Martens, Head of the OM Unit PMC. “These phenomenal ambassadors will help us connect with athletes directly, spark honest discussions, and empower more people to protect fair competition where it matters most: right there on the field of play!”

The newly appointed Believe in Sport ambassadors will support the OM Unit PMC’s efforts to promote integrity and fair play in sport and they will play an active role in athlete outreach through on-site activations, as well as through the regularly hosted webinars conducted by the OM Unit PMC in collaboration with IFs and NOCs.

About the Believe in Sport campaign and its Ambassadors programmes

Following the success of the programme at Paris 2024, this is the second time Believe in Sport Ambassadors will support the OM Unit PMC during Games activities as the programme keeps expanding to reach as many athletes as possible.

As part of the campaign, NOCs and IFs also selected a wider group of ambassadors for their activations in the respective country or sport, named the Global Network of PMC Ambassadors.

More information on the Believe in Sport campaign and its Ambassadors programmes can be found here.