Joël BOUZOU
President

Sports Career

Joël Bouzou is a French Olympian who competed in the Modern Pentathlon at four consecutive Olympic Games between 1980 and 1992.

At the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, he won a bronze medal in the team event. Three-years later he added the World Championship title to his collection.

Sports Administration

In 2007, under the Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Joël founded Peace and Sport with the aim of making a difference in troubled communities through sport.

Four-years later, Joël was elected President of the WOA. He is also a current Advisor to H.S.H. Prince Albert.

Joël has been awarded the Legion of Honour and the National Order of Merit, along with the French Gold Medal for Youth and Sports.

In 2010 he received a Diploma Honoris Causa in Humanities from the UN-mandated University of Peace in Costa Rica. He also received a Medal of Honour in 2012 from the Russian Federation's Ministry of Sports.

Anthony LEDGARD
Secretary General

Sports Career

Tony is a Peruvian Olympian and former cyclist who took part in the 4000m Men's Individual Pursuit at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.

He is part of a proud Peruvian sporting dynasty, with Grandfather Walter Ledgard Senior competing at the Berlin Games in 1936, and Father – Walter Junior – taking part in the 400m and 1500m Freestyle at the 1964 Tokyo Games.

Sports Administration

Tony is Secretary General of the WOA.

Patrick SINGLETON
Treasurer

Sports Career

Patrick is a triple Olympian, having competed in the luge at Nagano and Salt Lake City and the skeleton in Turin. At all the Games he was Bermuda's sole representative. His Bermuda shorts which he wore during the opening ceremonies are stored at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. During his senior career he had 14 podium finishes and four race wins.

Sports Administration

Patrick was a member of the Bermuda National Olympic Committee Athletes Commission and was involved in drafting new legislation for the FIBT, the international bobsleigh federation. He has been the Bermuda Olympians Association President since 2007. Patrick was elected WOA treasurer in 2011.

Alper KASAPOGLU
Vice President

Sports Career

Alper is a Turkish Olympian who competed in the Decathlon in Barcelona in 1992 and in Atlanta four years later. He also took part in two IAAF World Championships in 1991 and 1997.

Alper claimed a Silver Medal at the Mediterranean Games in 1991, setting a new Turkish national record in the process. He broke that record again in 1997, scoring 7,757 – a mark that still stands today.

Upon his retirement, Alper launched a coaching career in Turkey.

Sports Administration

Following his sporting career, Alper became a member of the Turkish National Olympic Committee. He was elected to the board of the WOA in 2011. At the same time, he was also elected President of the Athletes Commission for the Istanbul 2020 Summer Olympic Bid.

Alper's professional career is in sport business and professional club management. In his spare time, Alper volunteers as a coach for young athletes.

El Hadj Amadou DIA BA
Vice President

Sports Career

Amadou is a Senegalese Olympian who competed in the 400 metres hurdles at three consecutive Olympic Games - Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992. Amadou won an Olympic Silver Medal in Seoul with a personal best time of 47.23 seconds. He reached the final and came fifth in Los Angeles and was a semi-finalist in Barcelona.

Amadou was the national coach of the Senegal Men's 4x400m relay team from 1993-1997, a period which incorporated the Atlanta Games in 1996 where Senegal finished 4th in the Men's 4x400m relay.

Amadou then coached the Saudi Arabian national team from 1997-2000 where part of his role was to revive grass route athletics.

Sports Administration

From 1993-1997 Amadou was a member of the IAAF Athletes Commission and he is current President of the African Olympians Association and the Senegalese Olympians Association. Amadou is also a member of the IOC Athletes Commission as a representative of the WOA, he is a Board Member of the Senegalese National Olympic Committee, a member of the Board Member of ANOCA and President of the ANOCA Athletes Commission.

Chantal Brunner
Board Member

Sports Career

Chantal competed at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and a number of World Championships in long jump. Over her career Chantal won seventeen national titles, nine in the long jump event, six in the 100m sprint and two in the 200m event. Chantal also competed at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, where she finished 9th in the long jump.

Sports Administration

Chantal was the Chair of the New Zealand Athletes’ Commission, which gave her a seat on the New Zealand Olympic Committee Board for a number of years. She is currently the chair of the Olympians Commission (which is the New Zealand NOA) integrated into the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

Nádia CRUZ
Board Member

Sports Career

Nádia is an Angolan Olympian who competed in swimming in four Olympic Games, beginning in Seoul 1988 when she was just 13 years old. For Nádia’s final Olympic Games in Sydney 2000, she was her nation’s flag-bearer during the Opening Ceremony.

Sports Administration

In 2010 Nádia became the Chair of the Angola Athletes’ Olympic Association. Nádia has also been an Executive Member of the Angola Olympic Committee since 2005.

Freida NICHOLLS
Board Member

Sports Career

Freida is a two-time Olympian from Barbados who competed in 100m and 200m in Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. She was among the first four females to represent Barbados at the Olympic Games, at the age of 14.

Sports Administration

Freida is the President of Olympians Barbados. She served on the Executive of the Athletic Association of Barbados for 31 years (1972-2003), holding positions of 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, Secretary, Public Relations Officer and Honorary Liaison Officer for North America.

Freida has received awards from the IAAF and IOC for Contribution to Sports and Volunteerism and from the Government of Barbados for Contribution to Sports and National Development.

Malav SHROFF
Board Member

Sports Career

Dr Malav Shroff is an Olympian from India who competed in Athens in 2004 in the 49er Class of the sailboat competition. He has participated in a variety of world championships in many classes of sailboats and was the world champion in the Albacore Class in 1999.

He also served as the coach for the Indian sailing team at the Olympics Games 2008.

Sports Administration

Dr Shroff is currently President of the Asian Sailing Federation and Secretary General of the Olympians Association of India. He serves on the Governing Council of the Sports Authority of India and also as Associate Joint Secretary of the Indian Olympic Association.

Dr Shroff has held many posts within the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), including President of the International 49er Class Association (Olympic class of sailing boat) and as Chairman of Olympic Classes Sub-Committee. He is an ISAF International Measurer.

He is also a distinguished Rhodes Scholar from Oxford University with a specialisation in orthopedics and sports medicine.

Willie Banks
Board Member

Sports Career

Willie Banks is an American Olympian who competed in the Triple Jump at three consecutive Olympic Games; 1980, 1984 and 1988. He won a silver medal at the 1983 Athletics World Championships in Helsinki. From 1985-1995, Willie held the world record in the Triple Jump at 58 feet, 11.5 inches.

Sports Administration

While working on the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games the Martin Luther King, Jr. Women’s Association awarded Willie with their “Drum Major for Justice” award given to that individual who exemplifies a positive leadership image. Willie was the President of the US Olympians Association from 2005 to 2008. He sat on the Board of Directors for USA Track and Field, was 1988 Olympic Team Captain, former USATF Alumni President and past chairman of the USATF Athletes Advisory Committee. Willie Banks is currently the President of HSJ, Incorporated, a sports management and consulting firm that specializes in marketing and networking between the US and Japan.

Natalie Cook
Board Member

Sports Career

Natalie Cook is an Australian former professional beach volleyball player. A gold medallist at Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and bronze medallist at 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, she was also the first Australian woman to compete at five Olympic Games.

Sports Administration

Natalie tours on the public speaking circuit. She also runs Sandstorm, a venue for beach volleyball, touch, netball, and dodgeball. Natalie is one of the five IOC representatives on the WOA Board.

Frank Fredericks
Board Member

Sports Career

Frank is a four time silver medallist (100m and 200m) at the Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games representing Namibia. He was also a Finalist in the 200m at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. He is still the African record-holder in the 200m.

Sports Administration

Frank is a member of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Council, a member of the Namibian National Olympic Committee Executive Committee and has recently been named as Chair of the IOC Evaluation Commission for 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. Chair of the 2018 Coordination Commission for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Frank is one of the five IOC representatives on the WOA Board.

Li Lingwei
Board Member

Sports Career

Li Lingwei has 13 world badminton championship titles, and 48 gold medals in international and national badminton competitions (1980-1989). She was inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1998.

Sports Administration

Li is currently the Vice-President of the Chinese Badminton Association (2002-), a member of the Executive Board of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) (2002-), and member of the Executive Board of the Chinese Olympic Committee (2004-). In July 2012, she was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee. Li is one of the five IOC representatives on the WOA Board.

Mikako Kotani
Board Member

Sports Career

Double Bronze medalist Mikako Kotani competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics as a synchronized swimmer representing Japan and was Japan’s flag bearer at the Seoul Olympic Games. Mikako was also a four-time National Solo Champion (1987-1990).

Sports Administration

Mikako was a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and of the Japanese Olympic Committee and recently retired as the chair of the Olympic Council of Asia’s Athletes Committee. She was also part of the successful Olympic bid presentation team for the 2020 Olympic Games, which were awarded to Tokyo. Mikako is currently an Executive Board member on the Japanese Olympians Association.

Pernilla Wiberg
Board Member

Sports Career

Pernilla Wiberg is a Swedish former alpine race skier, who competed on the World Cup circuit between 1990 and 2002. Pernilla has won two Olympic gold medals, four World Championships and one World Cup overall title; she is one of the most successful alpine ski racers of the nineties.

Sports Administration

Pernilla was the chair of the FIS Athletes Commission from 1996 to 2001. She was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2002 and served an eight-year mandate until 2010. She is currently serving as a Chair for the "FIS working group for alpine technical equipment", which was established 2010, and is a board member for the Swedish Olympian Association since 2010. Pernilla is also a member of the ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Peace and Sport. Pernilla is one of the five IOC representatives on the WOA Board.

Carl Probert
Board Member

Sports Career

Carl is a 5 time Olympian in Swimming, who competed for Fiji from the 1992 Games in Barcelona all the way through to 2008 Games in Beijing.

Sports Administration

Carl is actively involved with his NOC as the athlete representative on the Executive Board. Additionally, he was elected in 2011 by his peers as the athletics representative on the Pacific Games Council.

James Tomkins
Board Member

Sports Career

James is a champion rower who participated in six consecutive Olympic Games between 1992 and 2008.  He is one of Australia’s most decorated Olympians – winning three golds and one bronze medal over the course of his lengthy career.

Sports Administration

James has a wealth of experience in sports administration, joining the Australian Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission in 2008 before going on to represent his fellow athletes internationally as part of the IOC Athletes’ Commission in 2012. He sits on the WOA Executive Committee as the IOC Athletes’ Commission liaison.