By Michael Pavitt at Palácio Foz in Lisbon

Rosa Mota's appointment as an ambassador was welcomed by ICSS President Mohammed Hanzab (centre) ©ICSSPortugal's first female Olympic gold medallist and marathon running great Rosa Mota has been appointed as a Save the Dream ambassador, during the inaugural Inter-Regional Sports Policy Summit here. 


Save the Dream is a joint venture between the International Centre for Sports Security (ICSS) and the Qatar Olympic Committee, aiming to work with youth to help make sport free of corruption, discrimination and violence.

Initiatives include a Schools Olympic Programme in Doha, in which educational tools were provided to students to stimulate their thoughts on sports integrity.

Mota was welcomed as an ambassador by ICSS President Mohammed Hanzab, with the ceremony held during the Summit in which key decision-makers, including sports ministers and international institutions have gathered to develop solutions to the challenges facing the integrity and good governance of sport.

Rosa Mota became the first Portuguese female Olympic gold medallist when she won the marathon at Seoul in 1988, making her the first woman to win all the major titles in the event ©Getty ImagesRosa Mota became the first Portuguese female Olympic gold medallist when she won the marathon at Seoul in 1988, making her the first woman to win all the major titles in the event ©Getty Images

Mota, winner of the marathon at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, has been appointed as part of the drive to promote positive values of sport to young people around the world.

"It's a great honour to be chosen as one of the Ambassadors for Save the Dream," said the 56-year-old Mota.

"I will give my best for this cause as I have always done in everything I've done.

"It's very important to promote and defend the values of fair play, ethics and the fight against doping for our young."

Mota was the first woman to hold Olympic, World and European marathon titles at the same title, having added the Olympic gold medal  to world crown which she had won in Rome in 1987, a year after winning the European title in Stuttgart.

As an ambassador, Mota will participate in activities aimed at educating, promoting and protecting the core values and sport for young people, with the programme aiming to ingrain strong beliefs into young people, in order to preserve sports integrity in the future.

Massimiliano Montanari (left), executive director of Save the Dream (left) and Emanuel Macedo de Madeiros (right), chief rxecutive of ICSS Europe, carried out the ceremony ©ICSSMassimiliano Montanari (left), executive director of Save the Dream (left) and Emanuel Macedo de Madeiros (right), chief rxecutive of ICSS Europe, carried out the ceremony ©ICSS





Massimiliano Montanari, executive director of Save the Dream, claimed the spirit and values Mota displayed throughout her illustrious career make her an ideal ambassador.

"Throughout her legendary career she showed passion, dedication and sportsmanship, inspiring generations of young fans and athletes," he said.

"We are delighted to welcome her as a Save the Dream ambassador and are looking forward to working with her to promote the positive ethics and values of sport around the world."

Mota is the latest high profile addition to the programme's list of ambassadors, which boasts the likes of Alessandro De Piero, a member of Italy's victorious team at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

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Policy leaders seeking to tackle threats to sports integrity at ICSS Summit
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November 2013: ICSS and UNICEF join forces in Brazil ahead of FIFA 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016
September 2012: ICSS launches Save the Dream campaign in clamp down on match-fixing