Johann Olav Koss

Johann Olav Koss

Johann Olav Koss is one of the greatest Winter Olympics athletes of all time. The four-time Olympic Gold Medalist in speed skating created world headlines when he won three Gold Medals at the Lillehammer Games in 1994 in the 1500, 5000 and 10,000 metres races. He set a new world record in each event. Four years before, at the Albertville Winter Olympics Johann won Gold and Silver Medals and was the All-Round Champion for 1990, 1991, and 1994. Over the course of his career he broke a total of 11 world records. He retired from competitive skating in 1994. Johann's achievements on the ice have since been eclipsed by his efforts on behalf of Olympic Aid, a humanitarian organization established to provide relief to children in war torn countries. Johann first became involved with Olympic Aid in 1993 when he visited the African country of Eritrea. He was profoundly moved by the plight of the children. At Lillehammer, Johann donated the prize money from his 1500 metre victory to Olympic Aid and challenged other athletes to do the same. After the Olympics, he organized a collection of used sporting equipment from the children of Norway to donate to the children of Eritrea. As a result, Johann was appointed Honorary Sports Ambassador to the Eritrean Government. He was also made a Special Representative of Sport for UNICEF. Since Lillehammer, Johann has worked to gain acceptance for Olympic Aid as an official project with Olympic status for humanitarian efforts to be part of future Olympic Games. He was successful in establishing Olympic Aid Atlanta as an official part of the Atlanta Games, and the program raised $13 million which UNICEF used primarily to organize medical assistance for children in war torn areas of the world. As well as educational programs and psycho-social programs, sports activities were introduced. Olympic Aid Atlanta reached an estimated 15 million children in 15 countries. The program continued with a new project and a new name, the Nagano Harmony Fund, during the Nagano Olympics. In 1997, Johann was appointed Chairman of the Norwegian Government Forum against Drugs and Doping. He is also the Chairman of an organization called MOT (courage) that mobilizes Norwegian athletes in the fight against drugs and doping. Later that same year, Johann formed his own humanitarian foundation called the Sport Humanitarian Group (SHG) which is now based in New York. In cooperation with the IOC, SHG was instrumental in reconstructing the Zetra Olympic Skating Rink in Sarajevo and is continuing with other projects in war torn and refugee areas including Sport in a Box, a program Johann developed to establish sport and recreational activities for refugees. Johann has been a member of the IOC's Athletes Commission since 1998. He is also on the Medical Commission and the executive board of the IOC 2000 Commission that is handling reform issues within the IOC. He is also a member of the IOC Solidarity Evaluation Commission. In December 1999, Koss was one of ten athletes that became new members of the IOC after the new reform had started. Johann is also one of several Directors for the Australian Institute for Winter Sport (AIWS) where he is contributing his time and energy specifically to develop the ice skating sports in NSW, Victoria and QLD. The goal is to establish a medal winning relay team for the 2002 Olympics. Johann finished his medical training at the University of Queensland. He had previously combined sport with education at the University of Oslo. Johann is a recipient of numerous international awards for his sports and humanitarian activities. The awards are Sportsman of the Year by US Sport Illustrated, The Jesse Owens Award, The International Athletic Foundation Award in Los Angeles, and the Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award. Johann was given the Child Survival Award in 1996 by the Carter Centre in Atlanta and later that year during the celebration of UNICEF's 50th anniversary, he was given UNICEF's Honorary Award. He was also declared one of 100 Future Leaders of Tomorrow by Time Magazine and One of 1000 Global Leaders by World Economic Forum. He also appeared on the cover of Time Magazine in 1994. The people of Norway awarded Johann the distinction of Best Norwegian Olympian Ever in 1994. He has received the Norwegian Olympic Committee's highest award -- the Fearnleys Honorary Award and was declared Man of the Year 1994 (Arets Navn) by a popular jury organized by major media in Norway. He is included in the Hall of Fame gallery at Hunderfossen near Lillehammer and in Oslo Spectrum.

Johann Olav Koss and EPIIC students and staff, after Koss was presented with a 2000 Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award by EPIIC. (February 7, 2000)