Zambia’s Mweetwa Appointed IOC “Believe in Sport” Ambassador for Milano Cortina 2026

Zambia’s Nchimunya Mweetwa has been appointed to lead the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Believe in Sport campaign at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026 in Italy.

Nchimunya Mweetwa

Mweetwa, who previously served as an IOC Believe in Sport Ambassador at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, will be based in the Olympic Village, where he will engage athletes and their entourage members in Milan and Cortina, raising awareness on the prevention of competition manipulation and the importance of fair play.

Speaking to the NOCZ media team, Mweetwa said "The assignment presents another opportunity to promote clean sport, share his lived experience, and educate athletes on the risks and consequences associated with competition manipulation".

A member of the NOCZ Safe Sport Commission, Mweetwa continues to play a key role in empowering athletes to uphold the values of integrity, ethics, and fair competition. The Believe in Sport campaign focuses on educating athletes, entourage members, and officials on issues such as match-fixing, intentional underperformance, and the misuse of insider information for betting purposes.

Reacting to the appointment, NOCZ President and 3rd Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Alfred Foloko, expressed pride in Mweetwa’s continued recognition, describing the role as well-deserved in light of his commitment to promoting fair play and safeguarding sport integrity.

Foloko added that Zambia and the African Olympic family remain proud of Mweetwa’s efforts, noting that his work within the Olympic Movement is expected to inspire athletes to speak up and uphold the highest standards of integrity.

He further revealed that NOCZ is actively identifying Zambian athletes involved in winter sports, with the hope of seeing the nation represented by athletes at future Winter Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) Secretary General Boniface Kambikambi emphasized the importance of integrity in sport, both on and off the field of play, noting that upholding ethical standards is fundamental to fair and credible competition.

He welcomed Mweetwa’s continued involvement in athlete education, stating that NOCZ is pleased to see Nchimunya’s consistency in supporting and guiding athletes on matters of integrity, clean sport, and ethical conduct within the Olympic Movement.