Alongside the global winner, five continental winners have been recognised for their impactful contributions to gender equality, diversity and inclusion in and through sport:
Africa: Expanding Opportunities for Girls Through Football in Zambia
Racheal Kundananji OLY, a Zambian footballer, is a leading advocate for gender equality and inclusion through sport. Through the Racheal Kundananji Legacy Foundation (RKF), she empowers girls and young women from disadvantaged communities by expanding access to organised sport and leadership opportunities. RKF’s Kick for Greatness initiatives, delivered in schools and universities across Zambia in partnership with UNAIDS and UNESCO, combine football with mentorship, life‑skills training and health education. In its first year, the Foundation has reached more than 500 children and young people, promoting girls’ education, safe participation in sport and greater opportunities for women and girls to lead and thrive.
Americas: Advancing Gender Equality in Football in Panama
Former professional footballer Mónica Elvira Franco Luzcando founded the grassroots initiative #Golerinas in 2017 to tackle gender inequalities in access, participation and representation in sport in Panama. Operating under a fully free‑access model, the programme removes financial barriers and provides safe, organised football opportunities for girls and young women, many of whom are playing in structured environments for the first time. Since its launch, #Golerinas has reached more than 5,500 participants while promoting women’s leadership, strengthening safeguarding measures and increasing the visibility of girls’ football through national media coverage and community engagement.
Asia: Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Volleyball
Former captain of the Korean women’s national volleyball team Kim Yeon‑koung has continued to advance gender equality and athlete welfare through her leadership off the court. As Chairperson of the KYK Foundation, established in 2024, she works to expand opportunities for girls and young women in sport by addressing financial and structural barriers to participation. Through scholarships, youth clinics, equipment support and a national middle‑school volleyball championship, the Foundation helps young athletes sustain their sporting pathways and access competition. Through mentoring, athlete advocacy and public engagement, Yeon‑koung also supports leadership development for women in sport and promotes safe, fair and inclusive sporting environments.
Europe: Transforming the Global Landscape of Women’s Football
Michele Kang is an international investor, sports leader and philanthropist whose work has driven significant investment and structural change in women’s football. As majority owner of the Washington Spirit and founder of Kynisca Sports International – the first global multi‑club organisation dedicated exclusively to women’s football, including the Washington Spirit, OL Lyon and London City Lionesses – she has championed a vision of sustainable, independent women’s sport built on the principle that “equal means equal results”. Through strategic support in youth development, professional pathways and leadership opportunities, as well as the creation of the Kang Women’s Institute focused on female athlete health and performance, Kang is strengthening the women’s football ecosystem and advancing gender equality, representation and professional standards across the sport.
Oceania: Creating Pathways for Women to Succeed
Robyn Cockburn has spent more than three decades advancing gender equality and inclusion in sport across New Zealand and Oceania, combining research, leadership and system‑level change to strengthen participation, governance and leadership pathways for women. Through initiatives such as the Shift Foundation, the Wāhine Toa leadership programmes and her long‑running 50 Insights publications, she has addressed structural and cultural barriers, promoted safe and inclusive sporting environments and created durable leadership pipelines for women in coaching, governance and executive roles. Her evidence‑based interventions have influenced policy, investment and organisational practice, while her mentoring, publications and advocacy have enhanced the portrayal of women in sport and supported sustained, systemic progress toward gender equity.
Celebrating inspiring changemakers
Known as the IOC Women and Sport Awards from 2000 to 2021, the IOC GEDI Champions Awards celebrate the work of inspiring changemakers who are committed to promoting the advancement of gender equality, diversity and inclusion in and through sport.
Six GEDI Award winners are announced each year – one at the global level and one continental winner each for Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
For more information on the IOC GEDI Champions Awards, click here.
