The International Fair Play Committee -CIFP- marked the second World Fair Play Day recognised on the United Nations calendar with the announcement of a strategic expansion of its structure. The organisation, chaired by Sunil Sabharwal, will add new Olympic figures to its Council and launch an academic body dedicated to strengthening its work in sports ethics, education and the promotion of fair play.
The day has been celebrated every 19 May since its proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024 and recognises the spirit of fair play as part of the Olympic ideal. Its objective is to promote sport through values such as respect, justice, solidarity, inclusion, tolerance, equality and the rejection of doping, with a dimension that goes beyond competition and also reaches social coexistence.
New Olympic figures for the CIFP Council
The expansion announced by Sabharwal comes at a stage in which the CIFP is seeking to increase its international reach and respond to growing demand for education, ethical advocacy and the promotion of sportsmanship. The organisation, recognised by the International Olympic Committee -IOC-, has placed this line of work within its objective of becoming a knowledge centre for sporting values.
Among the announced appointments is Emma Terho, a three-time Olympic ice hockey medallist with Finland and former chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. Her arrival strengthens the CIFP’s connection with athlete representation and the Olympic movement, at a time when integrity, athlete protection and values-based education form part of the international sports debate. “Having spent years advocating for athletes within the IOC, I know that victory without integrity is hollow. I am honoured to join the CIFP Council to ensure that fairness, respect, and the fundamental values of Olympism remain central to the athlete experience globally,” said Terho.
An academic council for fair play
The CIFP also announced the creation of an academic council, described by Sabharwal as a “philosophical engine” for the organisation. The new structure will be aimed at strengthening the body’s work in knowledge, education and the defence of sports ethics, in line with its institutional links with organisations such as UNESCO, the International Sports Press Association -AIPS- and the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education -ICSSPE-.
“Fair play is the vital heartbeat of sport, and its promotion is more critical than ever as the sporting ecosystem navigates complex challenges from the grassroots to the institutional level,” said Sabharwal. The CIFP president added that the organisation is expanding its capabilities with the arrival of new Olympians on the Council and the launch of this academic structure to strengthen its position as a reference point in sports ethics. “On this World Fair Play Day, we reflect on a year of immense growth and activation, from the Olympic Museum to the peaks of Milano Cortina. But our work is just beginning,” he added.
A date to take fair play beyond sport
World Fair Play Day originated from an initiative by Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles, which had organised activities linked to fair play since 2013, and became a global day in 2020 through the support of Panathlon International, the CIFP and the European Fair Play Movement. Its inclusion on the United Nations calendar raised the profile of a date designed to recall that fair play is not limited to following the rules, but also includes respect for opponents, referees, fans and sporting communities.
The celebration comes after a year that Sabharwal described as one of growth and activation for the CIFP, with references to actions developed from the Olympic Museum to the Milano Cortina 2026 cycle. “Our work is just beginning,” said the president of the organisation, who framed this expansion as part of a new stage for the international promotion of ethics and sportsmanship.
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