WADA Vice-President Yang Yang appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UN Refugee Agency

In recognition for her ongoing role in upholding the values of fairness and integrity in sport and wider society, Vice-President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and former Olympic champion short-track speed-skater, Yang Yang, has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).  

Having previously supported the first Refugee Olympic Team during the Rio 2016 Games, Yang Yang became involved with the UNHCR in 2021 by creating and amplifying messages highlighting how sports can change the lives of those forced to flee conflict.  

Yang Yang said: “I am delighted to be named as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR. The agency does great work for some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in society. They are dedicated to protecting rights, building a better future for refugees and, ultimately, saving the lives of people fleeing violence, natural disaster or persecution. I hope I can use my profile in sport to raise awareness about the plight refugees face in many areas of the world, as well as what the UNHCR is doing to help. Sport has given me so much. I truly believe that it has the power to change lives and entire societies for the better and to inspire hope for the future.”  

As part of her new role, Yang Yang recently visited Kakuma refugee camp in north-western Kenya to help raise awareness of the work of the UNHCR and the growing humanitarian needs of refugees in Kenya and globally. Speaking about her visit, she said: “My visit to Kakuma was incredibly important to understand the plight of refugees better. When I listened to the people I met there, I heard the compelling need for more solidarity to support them and the communities hosting them. 

"The women and girls I met clearly love and cherish the chance to participate in sports. For me it is about supporting them to gain confidence and connect with each other and become stronger together,” she said, adding that her visit to Kenya has cemented her commitment to this cause. According to the UNHCR, there are now 114 million people globally who are forcibly displaced or stateless. 

WADA President Witold Bańka said: “WADA fully supports Yang Yang’s involvement with the UNHCR. Her commitment to support refugees is an inspiration. As an advocate for clean sport and as WADA Vice-President, her dedication is well known. Her decision to leverage her considerable public profile in China and globally in order to raise awareness about forced displacement through the universal language of sport is commendable.” 

During her visit to Kakuma camp, Yang Yang was able to see some of the sports initiatives supported by the UNHCR, including the Kakuma Star girls’ soccer team, as well as chess teams. 

“I met bright and inspiring women and girls, courageous and strong and resilient. I was very inspired by their passion for life and sports. I know from my personal experience the benefits that sports offer. I spent my youth learning about the world through sport, building my strength and resilience, and understanding better the responsibility I had to others. Refugees don’t want to be left behind – they want their lives to develop. They seek better educational opportunities, health support, and ways to build their futures, so they can contribute to their communities and ultimately find solutions in their lives. Sports is part of that and can have a positive role in making lives better.” 

More about Yang Yang 

WADA Vice-President since 2020, Yang Yang won two gold medals and a silver for short track speed skating at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City – China’s first ever gold medal in a Winter Olympics – as well as a silver at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, and bronze at the 2006 Games in Turin. In total, Yang Yang collected 59 world titles throughout her professional career, making her one of China’s most successful, recognizable, and celebrated athletes. A key feature of her work as WADA Vice-President is to be a strong proponent of anti-doping education as the single best way to prevent doping and protect the integrity of sport. She also highlights the crucial role played by athletes’ support personnel in fostering supportive environments that protect athletes against intentional or inadvertent doping. 

More about the UNHCR 

The UNHCR leads international action to protect people forced to flee conflict and persecution as well as those denied a nationality. The UNHCR’s sports strategy, entitled ‘More Than Just a Game’, outlies the Agency’s plans to bring the life-affirming benefits of sport to displaced and stateless people around the world.