Meet the IOC Young Leaders 2021-2024
The IOC Young Leaders programme, launched in 2016, empowers talents to leverage the power of sport to make a positive difference in their communities.
With the support of seed-funding from the IOC and a network of mentors, these inspiring young people have delivered over 100 initiatives reaching over 30,000 individual participants.
As agents of Olympism they have also spoken at many international events spreading the message of sport for good and 17 IOC YLs are currently IOC Commission Members.
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![Rania Rahardja]()
Rania Rahardja: fencing for inclusion
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![Building champions for life]()
Waleed Abu Nada: building champions for life
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![Jean-Claude Rugigana - Learning through karate]()
Jean-Claude Rugigana: learning through karate
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![Project: Paddle for your dreams]()
Adrián Ruiz: paddling towards his dream of well-being and a healthy environment
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Paniz Yousefi Mojtahedi: badminton without boundaries
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Rohith Maradapa: “It's the right of every woman to reach her potential”
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![Gee Won Yoo]()
Gee Won Yoo: addressing the inclusion of young people through football
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Paulina Fritz: using basketball to break down barriers
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![Lushomo Hamukoma]()
Rachel May: combating inequality by creating a safe and empowering environment
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![Seyi Smith]()
Oluseyi “Seyi” Smith: protecting the environment as a project for an IOC Young Leader
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![Erin Kennedy]()
Erin Kennedy : changing the world with rugby
New IOC Young leaders Programme
Launched in October 2020, the newly designed programme will see 25 future leaders imagine, design and realise their own sustainable sport-based social business. Over the four years, each participant will receive expert guidance on a myriad of topics from human-centred design to impact measurement and user testing, as well as seed-funding and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
The final 25 candidates were selected from amongst 350 applicants, all with a background in or a clear passion for sport; after an individual assessment of 80 short-listed candidates. The list of selected 25 Young Leaders is balanced in terms of universality and diversity, with 13 female and 12 male candidates, from 25 countries across 5 continents, and includes countries that have not yet been represented in the programme.
IOC YL Profiles & Projects
Find our more about Young Leader initiatives.