Pascal Gentil, member of the French Taekwondo team for the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games and former co-Chair of the WT Athletes Committee, has been named by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a “Believe in Sport” ambassador for Paris 2024.
The “Believe in Sport” ambassador’s role is to raise awareness of the threat of competition manipulation among qualified athletes, their entourage members and officials, while empowering them to make the right decisions.
“As a French athlete and two-time Olympic medallist in Taekwondo, I am proud to take part in the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Mr. Gentil, “… welcoming all the delegations at the Paris airports, encouraging fair play, preventing competition manipulation, and inspiring athletes and fans worldwide are crucial initiatives.”
“Just as we did at World Taekwondo and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF), let’s come together to uphold the true spirit of the Olympics and make Paris 2024 an unforgettable celebration of athletic achievement and sportsmanship,” said Mr. Gentil.
The other ambassadors include: Nina Kanto (Olympian, France, Handball), Nchimunya Mweetwa (Zambia, Football), Louise Bawden (Olympian, Australia, Beach volleyball), Consuelo de las Heras (Chile, Field hockey), and Maria Barakat (Jordan, NOC staff).
Education as a key to prevent competition manipulation
Competition manipulation happens when athletes intentionally underperform or lose on purpose. It’s also when officials intentionally make wrong decisions affecting the competition. This may be for financial, sporting, or other advantage.
One of the best ways to prevent competition manipulation is by raising awareness and educating athletes. It is for this very reason the awareness campaign starts now, encouraging all athletes participating in Paris 2024 to undergo the online course ahead of the Olympic Games, therefore, allowing them to fully focus on their competitions upon arrival in France.
For more information
Athlete365, the IOC’s digital platform for Olympians and elite athletes, features a dedicated section on the prevention of competition manipulation, with a wealth of educational material like an online course, the code of conduct, and guidance on how to submit a report confidentially via the IOC’s Integrity Hotline. This information is complemented with valuable advice from inspirational ambassadors, who were selected specifically for Paris 2024 in close collaboration with the International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
