The SIGA Women Leadership Forum provided the stage for SIGA to recognize two extraordinary women who exemplify leadership through Sport on a daily basis. Cristina Gonçalves, a Boccia player and two-time Paralympic gold medalist (Athens 2004 and Paris 2024), was awarded the SIGA Special Recognition Award, SIGA’s highest honor.
Although Cristina was unable to attend in person, she was represented at the Porto event by Aida Duarte and Mariana Machado from the Cerebral Palsy Association of Lisbon. Gonçalves now joins an exclusive group of notable individuals recognized by SIGA, including Franco Frattini, Former SIGA Chair; Michael Robichaud, Former Senior Vice-President, Global Sponsorships, Mastercard; and José Manuel Constantino, Former President of the Portuguese National Olympic Committee.
Earlier that day, Cristina Gonçalves became part of the athletes and coaches involved in the SIGA Champions programme, designed to promote the role athletes can play as ambassadors for Sport Integrity. Joining her in this mission was Filipa Martins, a retired Portuguese gymnast whose career concluded after the Paris 2024 Olympics. Filipa also accepted SIGA’s challenge to align with its mission, contributing to the promotion of sports integrity and female leadership.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO, SIGA, said:
“If there’s something that touches my heart, it’s the example of these athletes. It’s not just on the tracks, the fields, or the stadiums where they excel. It’s their ability to transcend human nature. On behalf of the SIGA community, thank you to Filipa and Cristina for inspiring us, thank you for making us live your achievements, and for the strength you give us all to continue in our daily lives because of the example you set!”
Previous SIGA Special Recognition Awards
- Franco Frattini, Former SIGA Chair
- Michael Robichaud, Former Senior Vice-President, Global Sponsorships, Mastercard
- José Manuel Constantino, Former President, Portuguese National Olympic Committee
SIGA CHAMPIONS
- Arlene Limas, Taekwondo, USA
- Axel Sola, MMA, France
- Ben Gollings, Rugby, England
- Cameron Myler, Luge, USA
- Chloe Morgan, Football, England
- Cristina Gonçalves, Boccia, Portugal
- Filipa Martins, Gymnastics, Portugal
- Francisco Guimarães, Football, Portugal
- João Tralhão, Football, Portugal
- Karin Korb, Weelchair Tennis, USA
- Kelly Santos Muller, Basketball, Brazil
- Louis Saha, Football, France
- Kylla Sjoman, Football, Canada
- Lucy Shuker, Wellchair Tennis, UK
- Majlinda Kelmendi, Judo, Kosovo
- Miguel Oliveira, Moto GP, Portugal
- Rosa Mota, Marathon, Portugal
- Stacey Copeland, Boxing and Football, England
- Tabata Viana, Football, Brazil
- Telma Monteiro, Judo, Portugal
- Yanet Maria Acosta, Basketball, Colombia
– THE END –
ABOUT SIGA
SIGA is the world’s leading organisation for Sport Integrity. We are creating a whole new landscape for the sports industry by delivering independent global rating and certification for world Sport to ensure it is governed and operates under the highest integrity standards: The SIGA Universal Standards.
Funded by our Members, SIGA is a non for profit global independent organisation with one aim: To ensure the sport industry is governed under the highest integrity standards so that the values of sport are protected.
SIGA is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport.
SIGA is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, as a non for-profit association, and comprises of the following continental subsidiaries: SIGA AMERICA, SIGA EUROPE and SIGA LATIN AMERICA.
For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, please refer to the website: www.siga-sport.com and FAQs.
To contact SIGA, please email: comms@siga-sport.com.
@Sigalliance – Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin | #SIGA #SIGAWoW