Eliud Kipchoge, the Kenyan long-distance runner and double Olympic champion, will be appointed as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Sports Integrity and Values on Wednesday October 25, when UNESCO will be holding the 9th International Conference against Doping in Sport in Paris.
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, in a press statement Friday said UNESCO and Eliud Kipchoge share a common commitment to sporting values as a driving force for social interaction, sustainable development and peace.
Throughout his career, Kipchoge’s eagerness to share his experience with fellow runners has even earned him a nickname: “The Philosopher”.
He also used his fame to serve others and the public good, by advocating for access to education for all and for climate action, and by creating the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation in 2021. Today he stands out as a role model for young athletes, added Audrey.
The Director General added that by becoming a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Sports Integrity and Values, Eliud Kipchoge will use his experience and talent to amplify the Organization’s actions and impact around the world.
Audrey noted that based on the roadmap to be entrusted to him, he will participate in the promotion of the flagship sports initiative Fit for Life, recognizing young people as key players in promoting sustainable development.
“Under this flagship, he will contribute in particular to the Youth Accelerator Program which, through sports activities and training based on the values of sport, provides young people with the skills to support the development of their communities, read part of the statement.
Since he was a young boy, running 3km to school every day in his native Kenya, Eliud Kipchoge has cemented his reputation as one of the greatest long-distance runners of all time.
At just 18 years old, he placed first in the 5000m World Championships in Paris. After transitioning from track to road, Eliud Kipchoge ran the second fastest half-marathon debut ever.
Eliud Kipchoge went on to win gold at 11 World Marathon Majors as well as two Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (2016) and Tokyo (2020), and made history as the first person to break the two-hour marathon barrier (2019).
The Eliud Kipchoge Foundation supports education programs primarily in Kenya by funding school fees, enabling access to education and protecting the environment for future generations. The Foundation’s current goals are to build a library in every Kenyan school and plant a forest in each of the country’s 47 counties.
This nomination of a double Olympic medalist as Goodwill Ambassador, nine months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, recalls the importance of sport in UNESCO’s mandate.
UNESCO is the lead agency of the United Nations for physical education and sport, promoting their educational, cultural, scientific and social dimensions through numerous programs and initiatives.
UNESCO is also the guardian of the International Convention against Doping in Sport. Ratified by 192 countries, this convention plays a central role in regulating sporting practices at national level and harmonizing anti-doping legislation to guarantee a fair and equitable environment for athletes.
The nomination ceremony will take place on the margins of the 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention.
