Four-time Guyanese Olympian Aliann Pompey was on Thursday named an Executive Committee Member of the World Olympians Association. She is the female representative for all Olympians of the Americas.
Pompey got the nod for the position during the World Olympians Association’s General Assembly, which was held on a Virtual platform on Thursday.
Pompey was nominated by current president of the Guyana Olympians Association Geoffrey Sankies with support from president of the Guyana Olympic Association, K.A. Juman Yassin.
“I always do my best when representing the Golden Arrowhead, but with the two of them behind me it was almost as if I couldn’t fail to a certain extent. So I’m very grateful for their support and it would mean even more so now with these added responsibilities,” Pompey said.
“I’m thrilled, I’m ecstatic. I’m a little bit stunned at the result,” Pompey, who was the only new member elected, related.
Pompey was up against Barbados Olympian Freida Nicholls for the post. Pompey, who is the current President of the PanAm Sports Athlete Commission, said she would be leaning on her Caribbean counterpart for assistance and guidance.
“She’s been working in Sport Administration with IAAF, now World Athletics, and a number of other sporting bodies across the world, including her National Olympic Association where she’s made a tremendous impact over the years. I think based on that alone I feel a tremendous sense of honour and responsibility to take over from her,” Pompey said.
She continued, “I’ve already told her that I plan on continuing to use her as a resource (personnel) and of course the ever gracious woman she is, she is always interested in the betterment of sport in the region so she’s agreed to continue to help and assist.”
Yassin, in an invited comment, said: “Being an Executive Member of the Olympians Association it’s where Aliann would be serving with her peers. I’m certain that she would do well, as she has a wealth of experience and is actively involved in assisting our young athletes. My congratulations to her.”
Pompey represented Guyana at four Olympic Games (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012). She is also the brainchild of the Aliann Pompey Invitational, hosted in Guyana annually.
The World Olympians Association (as stated on their website)
There are over 100,000 living Olympians throughout the world. Our remit is to support them all, to work for the benefit of all Olympians at all stages of their lives.
There are 148 National Olympians Associations (NOAs) spread across all five continents. They organise events for Olympians and run projects that help their local communities. Projects based on the Olympic ideals laid down by Pierre de Coubertin.
We help the National Associations help their Olympian members and spread the spirit of Olympism in their country. Our recently launched NOA Development Fund gives financial aid to the Associations so they can run their programmes. And our NOA Grant Fund helps pay for longer-term projects that benefit their local communities.
We are creating a range of benefits for Olympians. We have secured online university scholarships, mentorships, job placements and life coaching programmes for Olympians assisting them transition to a life beyond competitive sport following retirement.
Olympians have a special capacity to use the power and neutrality of sport for the good of society, employing its unique potential to foster social cohesion wherever it is needed.
Olympians also personify the values of excellence, teamwork and discipline – they can serve as role models to help bring communities together, across all ethnic, religious and social divides.
