New athlete-led movement ‘Global Athlete’ launched ‘to give athletes a voice’

A new international body has been designed to give athletes a bigger voice in the running of elite sport.

The movement comes in the wake of serious incidents that have shaken the sports world such as the Russian Doping crisis and the US gymnastics sex scandal.  

Former WADA deputy director general Rob Koehler has been appointed director of Global Athlete. He commented, “The concept was born as a result of athletes speaking out more and wanting a voice and feeling that maybe they were being left behind.”

The organisation will bring together 8 athletes from different sports, including British Olympic cyclist Callum Skinner who will play a role in mobilising athletes. The body aims to tackle issues involving athlete welfare, harassment, ensuring athletes receive benefits, a more robust anti-doping system or a better representation at the top table of governance.

Global Athlete is set to ‘be a movement by athletes, for athletes aiming to collectively address the balance of power between athletes and sporting leaders and enable athletes an opportunity for meaningful input into how sport is run.’ The movement will begin with ‘listening exercises’ across the world with several athletes, to understand what changes they want in sport.