Athletes for Good

The Team GB Athletes “winning” for their Community Impact partners

As the world counts down to Paris 2024, athletes from around the globe are dedicating themselves to relentless training in preparation for one of the most meaningful competitions of their careers. While these athletes may be best known for pushing the boundaries of possibility in sport, in many cases their pursuit for greatness also extends beyond the athletic field and out into their communities as they champion causes they care about.

According to a recent survey* conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), more than 90% of athletes said they care** about important causes, but face barriers when trying to support these causes, such as lack of funding, time or a big enough platform. To help alleviate these barriers, P&G and our brands are continuing the Athletes for Good (AFG) program, in partnership with the IOC and International Paralympic Committee (IPC), to provide financial resources directly to the community impact partners important to athletes, to fuel the positive work they are doing together.

In the UK, we’re really proud to have four recipients of an Athletes for Good grant. One is Eilish McColgan – a Scottish athlete looking to compete for Team GB at her fourth Olympic Games this summer.

She is the current 10,000m Commonwealth champion and an ambassador for P&G’s Athletes for Good programme, which awards grants to charitable organisations supported by Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Sporting success runs in the family for Eilish, whose mum is former 10,000m world champion and 1998 Olympic silver medallist Liz McColgan.

The four-time European medallist knows how the power of athletics and sport can impact lives, and set up a charity, Giving Back to Track, which aims to increase access to athletics for young people from all backgrounds.

Eilish is one of 20 athletes that have been awarded an Athletes for Good grant by P&G in the lead-up to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, which will see Giving Back to Track receive $24,000 to fund its programmes.

Athletes for Good is a joint initiative between P&G, the IOC and the IPC that issues grants directly to the causes supported by Olympic and Paralympic athletes who are advancing important work in the areas of equality and inclusion, environmental sustainability and community impact.

Eilish said, “I was very fortunate growing up. I had my mum [Liz], who was a world champion and Olympic silver medallist, as my coach. I had so much support from my parents, running me around Scotland to different races and providing me with the equipment I needed. That’s why we set up Giving Back to Track.

“When she was younger, my mum relied on the kindness of her coaches and her club. My partner Michael, who is also an Olympian, relied on second-hand spikes so he could train.

“Athletics provides so many benefits with regard to mental health, well-being and keeping fit. All these qualities are incredibly important, and if you learn them early through sport, it lasts a lifetime.”

Alongside Eilish, three other Team GB athletes have benefitted from the Athletes for Good programme:

• Amber Keegan (Swimming) supporting Athlete Interactions
• James Farndale (Rugby) supporting Athletes of the World
• Marcus Mepstead (Fencing) supporting Trees for the Future

For more information about P&G Athletes for Good.

Athletics at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 starts on Friday 2nd August.