Nigerian Winter Olympian Calls for More Diversity in the Games
February 18, 2022
Nigeria’s first Olympian in the skeleton event, Simidele Adeagbo, was recently inducted into the "Olympians for Life" Hall of Fame organized by the World Olympians Association. She became only the second African woman to be honored since 2016, using the platform to call for more diversity in the Winter Olympic Games and insisting that visibility and access to the sport is vital to assure greater representation.
"In PyeongChang [South Korea], roughly 70 percent of the participants are from Europe and the Americas and that's not representatives of the world," she said. "How do we move from there to creating a space where we can see a wider representation of humanity?... If you can’t see it, you can’t be in it.”
Olympians for Life honors athletes who advocate for the Olympic Movement and use their platforms to improve lives. Adeagbo was awarded for her ongoing work to inspire and empower girls from marginalized communities through the power of winter sports.
Adeagbo made Olympic history in PyeongChange in 2018, becoming the first Nigerian Winter Olympian and the first African and Black woman to compete in the skeleton event. She is now joining up with worldwide Olympic partner Procter and Gamble (P&G) to make an impact off the field of play. Through the Athletes for Good program, P&G celebrates and supports causes athletes are passionate about, and their work in local communities. This year, grants were awarded to the charity partners of Olympians and Paralympians.
The joint initiative established by P&G, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), partnered with 16 athletes, 11 Olympians and five Paralympians from nine different countries. Each honoree will be awarded a share of $400,000 to be used to support charities close to their hearts.
With causes ranging from climate action to raising awareness for the LGBTQ community, Adeagbo is advancing her vision for a more representative and inclusive Games. She teamed up with LeadMinds Africa, a non-profit focusing on helping African youth and young adults find their passion and contribute to change in their communities. They will use the Athlete for Good grant to ensure the growth of their work and to support the organization's year-long leadership development program and mentorship program.
“LeadMinds Africa is all about empowering the next generation of youth in Africa, which for me was just a perfect fit. That is the work that I'm currently already doing. They want to take the potential of all of these great young African youth and really help to just invest in them and help them reach their full potential,” Adeagbo told the Olympic Channel.
“I'm very passionate about how I can help inspire the next generation, particularly of young girls, and help give them just the incredible gift that is the power of sport and how I help build their leadership skills through that,” said Adeagbo.
In addition to her current efforts to advocate for greater representation at the Games, Adeagbo is passionate about inspiring the next generation and especially girls. She wants to share the gift and power of sport to help them become the world's future leaders.