In recognition of his commitment to promoting fair play and ethical conduct in sports, former Zambian National Team Football player Nchimunya Mweetwa has been appointed as one of the six ambassadors for the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) "Believe in Sport" campaign ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, according to communication received from Evangelos Alexandrakis, Senior Policy & Institutional Relations Manager at the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions. Mweetwa has served as a Believe in Sport Ambassador since 2020, focusing on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions in sport.
As a member of the Safe Sport Commission of the National Olympic Committee of Zambia, Mweetwa will continue to play a vital role in raising awareness about the threat of competition manipulation and empowering athletes to uphold the values of clean and ethical competition.
The "Believe in Sport" campaign is designed to educate qualified athletes, their entourage members, and officials about the risks associated with activities such as match-fixing, intentional underperformance, and leaking insider information for betting purposes. Through educational materials, including an online course and a code of conduct, the campaign aims to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions and preserve the integrity of sports competitions.
As an ambassador, Mweetwa will participate in topical webinars organized for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs), sharing her expertise and insights to ensure that Olympic delegations are fully prepared to uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship.
"I am honoured and humbled to be assigned this role as a Believe in Sport ambassador for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," Mweetwa said. "This campaign resonates deeply with my values and my work around safeguarding and prevention of manipulation of competitions not just in Zambia but across the Southern Africa Region too. It is imperative that we protect the sanctity of sports and promote an environment where athletes can compete on a level playing field, free from unethical practices."
Welcoming Mweetwa's latest appointment, NOCZ Secretary General Boniface Kambikambi said, " We are proud of the recognition, and it is good to have Africa represented. We trust that through such initiatives, athletes will be encouraged to speak out on their own challenges on the manipulation of competition and general safeguarding.”
“His dedication towards raising awareness on the issue of competition manipulation, especially after his experience, has been commendable, and we are confident that his efforts will inspire athletes to uphold the highest standards of integrity and We appreciate the strive taken by IOC in this regard and wish for successful outcomes during the Paris 24 Olympic Games."
In addition to Mweetwa, five other inspirational ambassadors from across the world will be the face of the Believe in Sport campaign for Paris 2024 in the build-up to and throughout the Games. Below is the full list:
• Pascal Gentil (Olympian, France, Taekwondo)
• Nina Kanto (Olympian, France, Handball)
• Nchimunya Mweetwa (Zambia, Football)
• Louise Bawden (Olympian, Australia, Beach volleyball)
• Consuelo de las Heras (Chile, Field hockey)
• Maria Barakat (Jordan, NOC staff)
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