Pernilla Wiberg: “Sport is a tool for peace, and we need Olympians in society”
Elected to lead the World Olympians Association (WOA), former alpine skiing champion Pernilla Wiberg takes on a mission that goes far beyond the sporting arena. With nearly 100 000 living Olympians worldwide, she wants to strengthen their recognition, support their transition after the Games, and empower them to become agents of peace within their communities.
Interview with the Head of the World Olymian Association (WOA).
What are your feelings after taking the helm of the World Olympians Association ?
It’s a great honor. If you had asked me that question five or ten years ago, I would never have imagined that I would be sitting here today talking to you as President of the WOA. It’s been a very interesting journey, but you know how life is, things happen and there are different stages to go through. First I was an athlete, then I had a family, and now my children are grown up and have left home. The timing was perfect to take on such a position. So it’s a great honor and a great responsibility, because there are about 100 000 Olympians worldwide.
With Olumide Oyedeji and Thomas Wang as Secretary General and Treasurer, the WOA reflects the diversity of the Olympic movement… Is that a source of pride for you ?
I’m really very proud of that. It’s the first time we have an African as one of the officers in our organisation. Thomas (Wang) is from Asia, and he’s also a great business leader who travels all over the world, which is useful for the future. And this is the first time we have a woman as president.
In 2015, the WOA was one of the first sports organisations to change its constitution to make it more gender-equal. Our constitution therefore stipulates that all continental regions (Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe and the Americas) must choose one man and one woman. Unfortunately, in the business world and in the world of sport as well, there are generally more men than women in these positions. We felt that something needed to be done to restore the gender balance. I’m very proud of that.
« Sport is sport »
To be the first woman to lead the WOA, is it an important symbol ?
I hope to be as good as the four presidents who preceded me : Peter Montgomery, Pal Schmitt, Dick Fosbury and Joël Bouzou. I want to do the same job they did. What’s important, if we’re talking about symbol, is to take this opportunity. When a woman can be elected to one of these positions, whether in sport, politics, boards of large companies, she must show the next generation that it is possible, that a woman can lead such an organisation. If I had refused, it would not have been good for the future generation. I have an 18-year-old daughter, and I thought of her when I agreed to try to get elected.
You are also the first winter-sport athlete to become president of the WOA. Does this have a special meaning for you ?
For me, sport is sport. I don’t make a difference between winter and summer, because I started out as a summer athlete. When I was a child in Sweden, I played basketball and did athletics, and I only started skiing quite late. For me, it’s important that we represent all sports. Whether it’s winter or summer, it doesn’t matter.
Of course, when it comes to the composition of the board as a whole, it does matter. We need to look at how many winter athletes and how many summer athletes there are, to ensure the balance is clear and fair in the eyes of others. But personally, I don’t differentiate.
« Support Olympians even more »
What are your main responsibilities as president of the WOA ?
We are a newly elected board, and I’m aware of the responsibility that comes with being president. But I’m very Swedish in my approach : I aim for consensus. I want us to discuss things openly before making decisions, and to work in a transparent way. That’s my goal for how the board should function.
On a bigger scale, my mission for the future is to support Olympians even more and to help them gain greater recognition in society. I truly believe they deserve it. The Olympic Games today are a world show where athletes are the heroes, the role models. Of course, winning a gold medal is exceptional, but all Olympians stand on that world stage. They all have a story that should be acknowledged more widely, by everyone, including sponsors and the IOC. That’s something I want to work for.
With more recognition, Olympians can have an even bigger positive impact in society. Sport is, for me, a tool for peace, and now more than ever we need Olympians in society, speaking up, inspiring others, and sharing the message of Olympism. If they are supported and valued by all stakeholders, from sponsors to institutions, they can do an even better job. And in the end, we will all be winners.
When the lights go out after the Olympic Games, it is difficult for many athletes…
You’re touching on a very important issue. Let me give you an example : if today I’m a 18‑year‑old athlete – of course this depends on the country, as some nations support their athletes very well – I’m essentially facing a major choice. Do I go to university, where I know that after graduating I’m likely to have a stable job and financial security ? Or do I choose sport, where I’m not sure I’ll earn anything, I won’t accumulate pension points, and nothing is guaranteed ?
I believe we lose many potential athletes at that stage already. As a parent myself, with two children, I understand the instinct to think about their future. When faced with those two options, most parents will tell their children : « Come on, it’s safer to get a university degree and secure your future job. » So yes, we lose many athletes there.
If we could create a system that allows them to stay in sport while also having security for the future, everyone would benefit. There are already a few models, for example in Italy with programs where athletes are employed by the Guardia di Finanza, the police or the military. These structures provide social security and long-term stability.
This is something we need to look at, because it’s essential for the future of sport. We need athletes who actually want – and are able – to pursue a sports career.
« Fairness has always been very important to me »
Does your experience as a two-time Olympic champion influence the way you lead ?
Yes, I think it’s important to have experienced sport at the highest level – but it doesn’t have to be a requirement. It depends on how you are as a person. The next president of the WOA doesn’t need to be a double Olympic champion. But it certainly helps, because, as you mentioned, it brings recognition. You’ve been on the biggest stage in the sports world, and you’ve actually won there.
At the same time, I’ve also experienced many lows in my career. It goes up, it goes down. In alpine skiing especially, you deal with many injuries. And those difficult moments are also valuable when you are in a position to lead others. So yes, my Olympic medals are important to me – but so are the injuries and the lows I went through. They all shaped me and prepared me for leadership.
As a member of the Champions for Peace Club of Peace and Sport, what motivated you to get involved, and why is it important for you to be part of this community of committed athletes ?
Since I was a child, fairness has always been very important to me. I remember being in the schoolyard at eight, nine years old and immediately sensing when someone was being bullied. I always wanted things to be fair and square, and although conflict happens, I wanted to solve it – to be diplomatic. My parents were teachers, which also helped me understand that you can talk to people in a respectful, constructive way.
That sense of fairness stayed with me throughout my skiing career. I can tell you one example: we once had a slalom race in southern Spain, and the conditions were terrible. But the organizers wanted the competition to go ahead anyway – there was television, money, and pressure involved. I spoke with the other athletes and said, « Look, you can see with your own eyes that the snow is dangerous. If we race today, many athletes might get seriously injured. Do you agree that we should refuse to start? » So we stood together in front of the start house and said : « These conditions are unacceptable. » In the end, the race was cancelled. That was an important moment for me – I was still a racer, but I was already defending what was fair and right.
So when Joël (Bouzou) established Peace and Sport in Monaco – where I’ve lived since 1994 – he asked me if I would like to become a Champion for Peace. I didn’t need a second to think. I immediately said yes, because I truly am a champion for peace in every sense of the word. Whether it’s peace in a schoolyard or peace in the world, the principles are the same. It works the same way.
« Those three letters, OLY, show how much being an Olympian really means »
The WOA has developed the Service to Society and Service to Olympians grants to support projects led by Olympians, particularly within their communities of origin. Is there strong demand for these initiatives among Olympians ?
Yes, we are around 100 000 living Olympians, but we still do not have an Olympian Association in every country. That is something we are working on – expanding membership. At the moment, we have about 111 National Olympian Associations, while the IOC recognizes 206 National Olympic Committees. So there is a clear gap, and of course our goal is to eventually reach all 206.
Among the 111 NOAs, the demand for our grants is extremely high. Every year, we receive more than one hundred applications, but we can only award twenty grants. So securing more funding and increasing our budget is a priority.
Ultimately, it’s all about empowering Olympians and the Olympian Associations, helping them feel valued and recognized in their own communities. Because when we give them the means to run projects in their societies, they gain visibility, they create impact – and that recognition is exactly what we want. It’s a very effective way to achieve that.
The WOA introduced the « OLY » post-nominal to recognize Olympians’ dedication and commitment to Olympic values. What additional measures could further help athletes leverage their experience to create social impact ?
That’s a very good question. It’s something I would like to work on together with my board to see what we can develop.
When we established the « OLY » post‑nominal letters back in 2017, the idea actually came from a wonderful member from Bermuda – a Winter Olympian – and since then it has been amazing to see the pride Olympians feel when they are able to add those three letters after their name. People ask, « Oh, what is this ? » and then a conversation begins. Even if you’re not a gold medallist, you are an Olympian, and that means something. It opens doors and it creates understanding.
It’s also useful in very practical ways. For example, when applying for a job, using an @olympian.org email address and the OLY designation immediately sparks interest. The person on the other side thinks, « This is interesting, I want to know more about this applicant. » It can be very powerful, even on social media or LinkedIn. If you search for « OLY », you find a whole network of Olympians, and you can connect instantly because you know they have achieved something special in their lives. It’s fantastic.
Let me share one more story. In Sweden, we have almost 4,000 Olympians. In 2012, to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1912 Olympic Games, we organised a meeting for all living Olympians. The oldest participants were over 90, athletes who had competed in the 1940s – it was incredible to see. Some of them are no longer with us, but their children later told us something that truly touched me : their fathers or grandfathers were so proud of being Olympians that they wanted the letters « OLY » engraved on their gravestone – not the Olympic rings, not the word « Olympics », just « OLY ». To me, that shows how much these three letters really mean to Olympians.
By Simon Bardet
L’article Pernilla Wiberg: “Sport is a tool for peace, and we need Olympians in society” est apparu en premier sur Peace and Sport.