WADA announces Athlete Engagement teams for Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to share its plan to promote clean sport directly with athletes competing at the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (Milano Cortina 2026) in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Combined, the two events will feature in excess of 3,500 athletes representing more than 90 National Olympic and Paralympic Committees. 

WADA’s Athlete Engagement (AE) teams will be stationed in the Athlete Villages in Milan and Cortina to deliver the ‘One Play True Team’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness about doping-free sport.  

WADA’s Director of Athlete Engagement, Karine Henrie, said: “WADA’s Athlete Engagement teams are excited to travel to Italy for the highly anticipated Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. For 25 years, the dedication of Athlete Engagement teams has helped ignite a global movement for clean sport, championing integrity and empowering athletes to carry the values of clean sport toward Milano Cortina 2026.

“We are grateful for the invitation extended by the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee and for providing WADA’s AE teams the platform to engage directly with athletes and their entourage throughout the Games. I am certain that, as was the case during Paris 2024, the entirely athlete-led team will add substantial value to the Games experience for every athlete, coach and support personnel member that they meet.” 

The Olympic and Paralympic AE teams are outlined below, which include representatives from eight countries across five different continents and are comprised of athlete leaders from various athlete representative bodies. 

For the first time, the Olympic and Paralympic AE teams are comprised exclusively of past and present WADA Athlete Council (AC) members.

Olympic Games Athlete Engagement Team: 

• Mona Brorsson (Sweden), former biathlete and Olympic gold-medalist, and member of WADA’s Athlete Council;
• Ivan Ćosić (Croatia), World ParaVolley athlete representative, international sitting volleyball athlete and member of WADA’s Athlete Council;
• Toby Cunliffe-Steel (New Zealand), former international rower, Chairperson of the Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission of New Zealand Athletes’ Commission and member of WADA’s Athlete Council;
• Adriana Escobar (El Salvador), Central American & Caribbean Games bronze medalist (rowing) and former member of WADA’s Athlete Council;
• Dora Heygi (Hungary), Vice-President of the International Gymnastics Federation Athletes' Commission, former international aerobic gymnast and Vice-Chair of WADA’s Athlete Council; and
• Elisabeth Vathje (Canada), Olympian (skeleton) and member of WADA’s Athlete Council.

Ms. Brorsson said: “It is a privilege to be part of WADA’s Athlete Engagement team for Milano Cortina 2026. The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are the pinnacle of winter sport, and every athlete who competes at Milano Cortina 2026 will be living out their dream. Having gone through the whirlwind of major sporting events ourselves, the members of the AE team are well-placed to ensure that the athletes feel comfortable in connecting with other athlete leaders when it comes to discussing anti-doping aspects of this experience – especially those attending the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time. The fully Athlete Council-led team is diverse, knowledgeable and excited to actively engage athletes and their support personnel on-site throughout the Games.”

Paralympic Games Athlete Engagement Team:

• Kristen Kit (Canada), Olympic gold-medalist and Paralympic bronze-medalist (rowing), and former WADA Athlete Council member;
• Tan Yujiao (China), Paralympic gold-medalist (powerlifting), member of the IPC Athlete Council and member of WADA‘s Athlete Council;
• Ella Sabljak (Australia), Paralympian (wheelchair basketball and rugby), member of the Paralympics Australia Athlete Commission and member of WADA’s Athlete Council;

Ms. Tan said: “We are eager to get to Italy for what I am certain will be a memorable and exciting edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Having the opportunity to interact directly with athletes and their entourage at Milano Cortina 2026 will give us a chance to listen, learn, and support the shared commitment to clean sport. I am appreciative of the opportunity to take part in this important initiative and look forward to engaging with athletes from all over the world.”

Ryan Pini (Papua New Guinea), four-time Olympian (swimming) and recently re-elected Chair of WADA’s Athlete Council, will also be on site throughout the Games and will be joined by:

• Gaby Ahrens (Namibia), three-time Olympian (sport shooting), member of WADA's Athlete Council and Chair of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa Athletes’ Commission;
• Zhang Hong (China), two-time Olympian (speed skating), Olympic gold-medalist, member of WADA’s Athlete Council and IOC Athletes’ Commission;  
• Humphrey Kayange (Kenya), Olympian (rugby), member of WADA’s Athlete Council and IOC Athletes’ Commission; 
• Emma Terho (Finland), five-time Olympian (ice hockey), two-time Olympic bronze-medalist, member of WADA’s Athlete Council and Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission;
• Maja Włoszczowska (Poland), four-time Olympian (mountain biking), two-time silver-medalist, member of WADA’s Athlete Council, President of the UCI Athletes’ Commission and Vice-Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission;

In Italy, the AE teams will also be supported by Stacy Spletzer-Jegen, WADA Senior Manager, Athlete Engagement; and Logan Harris, WADA Coordinator, Athlete Engagement.