World Olympians Association honours WADA Athlete Committee Chair Ben Sandford

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) congratulates our Athlete Committee Chair Ben Sandford for his induction on 11 February as one of this year’s ‘Olympians for Life’ by the World Olympians Association (WOA).

At each edition of the Olympic Games, the WOA honours five Olympians by naming them Olympians for Life. Inductees are selected based on excellence exhibited in their post-sport professions and the promotion of Olympic values throughout their lives, in particular for the benefit of their communities through charitable or campaign work.

The class of 2022 includes three-time Olympian Sandford (Skeleton, New Zealand); Simidele Adeagbo (Skeleton, Nigeria); Alain Calmat (Figure Skating, France); Clara Hughes (Speed Skating & Cycling, Canada) and Shiva Keshavan (Luge, India).

The inductees represent all five continents and include Olympians who have championed women in winter sport, promoted mental health awareness, and operated schools within their community.

“I’m incredibly humbled and honoured to be inducted as an Olympian for Life, said Sandford, who was elected WADA Athlete Committee Chair in November 2019. The Olympics are so much more than just a sports competition, and this is part of the reason why they are so important to athletes. The Olympic ideals resonate with all of us and it’s vital that no matter what we’re doing once we finish competing, we keep those ideals alive, that we keep striving to make things better.”

Ben Sandford is a long-time proponent of clean sport and has spent his post-sport career giving all athletes a greater voice within the Olympic Movement. The 42-year-old lawyer is also a member of the Athletes’ Commission and Integrity Commission of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC). He has worked with the NZOC since 2008 and WADA since 2012, in the process becoming a highly respected advocate of athlete welfare and fair play.

Previously, Sandford was an athlete representative and Vice President of Legal Affairs at the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) from 2014-2018. He currently sits on a New Zealand Government Task Force established to create a national structure and strategy for sports integrity.

“It is so incredibly important to have athletes at the decision-making table, Sandford said. If there’s an agency or entity making decisions about athletes, then athletes need to be there and part of the process. It means that athletes are valued, that athletes are heard, it means their decisions are better because there is more diversity. It improves the sport. I think in the field of integrity, we have to continually make improvements, we can’t stand still. We have to continue to fight for fair and clean sport and equality. It’s terrible that we still have these issues, but we do, and we must continue to work on them. We want to stand on the start line and know that we are all playing by the same rules. And that we can turn up and give our best and that our best will count.”

WADA President Witold Banka commended Sandford on the WOA recognition, saying: “Ben identified early on in his sporting career how important it is for athletes to be involved in the governance of their sports and has been actively involved in promoting their interests ever since. As a tireless proponent for clean sport, he is a tremendous asset not only for WADA but for the wider Olympic Movement and is truly deserving of this honour from the World Olympians Association.”

The Olympians were honoured during a virtual ceremony opened by WOA President Joël Bouzou and WOA patron Prince Albert II of Monaco and hosted by four-time Olympian and ‘Cool Runnings’ inspiration Chris Stokes (Bobsleigh, Jamaica).

“This honour is only given to a few Olympians who have achieved not only great things on the field of play but who have also made a significant and positive contribution to society and toward the life of others, said HSH Prince Albert. This recognition is presented to Olympians who have clearly demonstrated what it means to embody the Olympic spirit.

Congratulations to all of you for your achievements and for being champions for integrity, fairness and equality within sport. On behalf of the Olympic Movement, we applaud all your contributions, hard work and dedication.”