Five athletes receive ‘Olympians for Life’ designation for their work outside sport

The World Olympians Association names five former and current Olympic athletes ‘Olympians for Life’, a title given to five sportspeople every two years for their contributions to society outside of competition.

Debuting at Rio 2016, the ‘Olympians for Life’ project aims to celebrate athletes who have, in the words of WOA President Joël Bouzou, gone “above and beyond to make the world a better place”. Recipients of the honor this year were Ugandan runner Julius Achon, American swimmer Donna de Varona, Japanese hammer thrower Koji Murofushi, British hurdler Alan Pascoe and Australian field hockey player Rachael Lynch – the only one of the five still active and competing in Tokyo. They were presented at a virtual event on Monday hosted by President Bouzou and WOA patron Prince Albert II of Monaco, himself a five-time Olympic bobsledder.

Perhaps the most inspirational story of the group belonged to Julius Achon. Having been kidnapped as a child soldier in Uganda at age 12, he escaped and eventually won a track scholarship to the United States. He represented his country at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics before returning to Uganda to start a charity, the Achon Uganda Children’s fund, that built a hospital in his home village and helped rebuild the surrounding areas ravaged by civil war.

“I said [to myself], if I ever make it to the top of the world, I want to build a health center”, Achon explained at Monday’s event. “That’s what inspired me the most: when I reached the United States I found there was so much in the other parts of the world – how can I give it to my community? When you struggle, it’s better to look back and help those who need help”.

Rachel Lynch, whose field hockey team had just come off a victorious start to their Olympic campaign, also won the honor for her work in healthcare. In her case, she has been working as a neuro-rehab nurse in Australia on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also being a mental health ambassador for suicide prevention nonprofit ‘RUOK’.

“Working as part of Australia’s COVID-19 response has been hugely rewarding and something I feel strongly about contributing to as a trained nurse. I have been afforded so many opportunities from the sports community throughout my career so far and it’s hugely important for me to take every opportunity I can to give back – especially during these challenging times for the world”, Lynch said in acceptance of her new title.

Among the other three recipients, Donna de Varona was honored for her work passing the Title IX law in the United States that gave women equal opportunities to play college sports; Koji Murofushi for his role in sports development in Japan and support of recovery efforts from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake; and Alan Pascoe for his pioneering marketing and charity work, particularly with getting schoolchildren involved with sport. All three former athletes shared optimism about how transformational sport can be and encouraged fellow Olympians to give back to their communities in ways meaningful to them.

“Once Olympians come out of competitive life I think it’s very important everyone finds a way to give something back”, Pascoe stated. “Most recently I’ve been concerned about research that shows the importance of activity to children to be physically and mentally healthy and have their lives develop... In my view, every child who doesn’t get activity through sport is disadvantaged, no matter what their background”.

“At 13, when I traveled through California all the way to Rome, experiencing a diverse world, it was mind blowing”, recalled de Varona, drawing upon her experience at the 1960 Olympic Games as the initial motivation for her advocacy. “I went back to an America which was bubbling up as now with questions about race and diversity. I knew that I hadn’t made the Olympic team without everybody behind me, without volunteers, without people like [the WOA], and I decided if I ever made the podium I would use the podium to make a difference”.

“We believe we are able to send a positive message around the world”, said Murofushi, currently the Japan Sports Agency Commissioner and the former sports director of Tokyo 2020. “I’d like everyone to focus on what [athletes] have overcome, whether they have a medal or not, it doesn’t matter. You’re standing on the best stage in the world and everyone watches... They should be very proud of competing in that and hopefully people will encourage their performance”, Murofushi requested of those watching the Games over the next two weeks.