Our Champions
Our Sport Matters Champions are all committed to the potential that sport has to make a positive impact on the world and its people. Sport Matters Champions help contribute to our advocacy campaigns and events to help spread the word about the power of sport, and they each bring a particular passion for a focus area within sport for development.
Petero Civoniceva
Petero is one of the most respected men in rugby league in Australia and Fiji. He has played for Canberra Raiders & Penrith Panthers, has 30 Queensland State of Origin appearances and 45 games for Australia to his credit. He also captained the Fiji team at the Rugby League World Championships. In 2015, Petero hosted a sports carnival in Suva to raise funds for diabetes prevention in Fiji.
Learn more about Petero Civoniceva’s activities in Fiji using rugby league to promote education and health.
Pat Farmer
Pat is an ultra-marathon runner and former Member of Parliament and an advocate for peace. In 2014 Pat ran the equivalent of two marathons a day for 20 days on his Middle East Peace Run to raise awareness and promote tolerance, peace and understanding through sport. In 2016 Pat ran 4600km from the south to the north of India on the Spirit of India Run raising awareness and funds to support girl’s education in India.
Learn more about Pat Farmer’s efforts using running as a platform for development.
MORE: Pat Farmer
Luke Ablett
Luke is a former AFL player with the Sydney Swans and a returned Australian Volunteer for International Development in Vanuatu. Luke is a strong advocate for gender equality and spoke on the power of sport to address gender-based violence at our Power of Sport breakfast at Parliament House.
Learn more about Luke’s advocacy for gender equality in and through sport.
Sally Shiphard
Sally is one of the most recognisable faces in women’s football in Australia after making her international and Olympic debut at 16 years of age. She then became a full member of Australia’s Women’s Football team and made her FIFA Women’s World Cup debut at 18. In 2015 Sally was a commentator with SBS for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Learn more about Sally’s journey through football.
MORE: Sally Shiphard
Hannah Davis
Hannah is a dual Olympian and Olympic Bronze medallist who has represented Australia in the sport of Flatwater Kayak at both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games. Hannah is passionate about the cause of Reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and in 2014 Hannah was the recipient of an ‘Athlete’s in Excellence’ award from The Foundation for Global Sports Development.
Learn more about Hannah’s work with Indigenous Australians.
Learn more about Hannah’s work with equity, inclusion and diversity: UNSW Active Women’s Strategy Chair Hannah Davis on resilience in tough times | Sport
Sport Matters designs tailor-made development strategies in response to identified community needs in Australia, the Pacific, Asia and Africa.
