The important addition was made on the sidelines of Sport Integrity Week during Cityscape Global 2024, bringing the group of SIGA Champions to a total of 23 athletes and coaches.
The new SIGA Champions are:
Gilberto Silva (Brazil)
A former World Cup winner with Brazil and Premier League star with Arsenal, Gilberto Silva has focused on youth development and community outreach, with an emphasis on education and health in his initiatives.
Nicola Innocentin (Italy)
An international football executive and founder of Global Football Service, Innocentin raises awareness about athlete health through his work with UNBEATABLES, encouraging education on heart health.
Sol Campbell (England)
Known for his legendary career as a defender for the England national team and clubs such as Arsenal, where he won four FA Cups and two Premier League titles, Sol Campbell is a champion of inclusion and has been active in the fight against racism in sport.
The newly named Champions have achieved remarkable careers in international football and will use their role models to advance SIGA’s reform agenda in the area of ??integrity in sport.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, SIGA’s Global CEO, welcomed the new Champions with a warm welcome:
“These exceptional athletes bring, in addition to impressive careers, a deep commitment to integrity in sport. As SIGA Champions, they will use their convictions, experiences and platforms to demonstrate and promote the broad and beneficial outcomes of ensuring that sport is played, governed and operated with the highest levels of integrity.”
“Through their powerful interventions, actions and voices, these Integrity Champions will amplify the core principles enshrined in SIGA’s mission and vision, helping to realise our vision of an inclusive, accessible, sustainable and successful sport. We are honoured to have them join our cause at such a crucial time for integrity in sport.”
Brazilian Gilberto Silva says of his new role as SIGA Ambassador:
“As a former player and now a dedicated youth development advocate, I have seen first-hand how integrity is essential at every stage of a young athlete’s journey. Sport has the unique power to inspire and transform, and it is our duty to protect it from any form of harm or exploitation.”
“Through SIGA and my own initiatives with Striver, I am committed to creating a fun and safe environment free from abuse, promoting education and health, ensuring that young people have the opportunity to reach their potential in an environment founded on respect and integrity.”
Nicola Innocentin says:
“The wellbeing and safety of athletes is paramount, especially when it comes to protecting them from health risks such as sudden cardiac arrest. Through my work at UNBEATABLES, I am dedicated to raising awareness and education about heart health, ensuring that athletes receive the support they need.”
“As a SIGA Champion, I am committed to bringing health-focused integrity to the forefront, championing safe sporting environments that prioritize athlete health and foster sustainable growth for the future of the sport.”
Sol Campbell comments:
“Football is a universal language, a source of pride and a global stage for unity. However, in recent years, racism and discrimination have continued to cast a shadow over the sport, compromising the integrity of the game and alienating individuals who deserve equal respect and opportunity. Racism in football is not just an attack on individuals, but a threat to the spirit of respect, unity and fair play that the sport represents.”
“My commitment to this fight is rooted in my fundamental belief in integrity in sport. Football at its best is a platform for unity, where every individual is valued and every fan feels a sense of belonging. Racism, prejudice and exclusion contradict the essence of the game and deny people the opportunity to fully participate.”
The new SIGA Champions join a distinguished group of athletes, all united by a commitment to ensuring that the sport remains a beacon of ethics and integrity. Together, this dynamic coalition enables SIGA to advance its vision of a sporting world governed by the highest standards, delivering positive impacts for communities and citizens across the globe.
Other Brazilian SIGA Champions are Kelly Santos Muller (basketball) and Tabata Viana (football).
Source: GMB
