Javier Raya is a Spanish Olympian figure skater, DEI advocate, and founder of Compete Proud, a platform focused on LGBTQI+ inclusion in sports. With over 20 years of experience, Javier represented Spain at the European and World Championships, and the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. He founded Compete Proud to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion within sports and is an IOC Young Leader (2021–2024). Through his work, he aims to empower athletes, advance social impact, and ensure a more inclusive sporting environment.

Compete Proud is the leading voice for LGBTIQ+ representation in sports, advocating for inclusivity, diversity, equity, and visibility at every level—from grassroots initiatives to the Olympic stage. Founded by Olympian Javier Raya and supported by the IOC Young Leaders programme, Compete Proud empowers athletes by sharing their stories, fostering safe spaces, and driving positive change. The platform provides educational tools, workshops, and consultancy to sporting organizations and athletes, addressing critical issues like LGBTQI+ rights, gender equality, and accessibility. Through partnerships like Pride House Paris 2024, Compete Proud is creating a lasting impact by increasing LGBTQIA+ visibility and promoting a more inclusive sporting community.

Links:

Compete Proud: https://competeproud.com/

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

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Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

Dan is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Development with a research and teaching focus in sport for development. His work examines issues of inclusion, equity, and social value.

Dan has worked in a range of sport development, community, and young-people focussed occupations. His professional experience led him to pursue doctoral research that explored the empowering potential of community sport development practices in the UK. He is an active researcher and currently leads a number of commissioned national and regional evaluation projects that examine the impact of sport-based programmes for a wide range of social outcomes, supporting partners to develop their monitoring, evaluation and learning practices.

Dan's research expertise covers several aspects of sport for development theory and practice, with a specific focus on community models of delivery, power and governance, qualitative evaluation methodologies and theory-based evaluation. He has provided research and consultancy services for Sport England, The Football Foundation, Positive Futures, and The Lord's Taverners.

Dan is also passionate about physical activity in the outdoors and is currently engaged in research that explores issues of access and inclusion for underrepresented groups, and captures the social value of green space.

The Centre for Social Justice in Sport & Society at Leeds Beckett University offers innovative methods to help sports organisations understand and evidence the true impact of their community programmes. Traditional key performance indicators (KPIs) often fall short in fully capturing the value and social impact of these initiatives. To address this, the Centre uses cutting-edge ripple effect mapping techniques, which involve gathering insights from all programme stakeholders to assess how, where, and why a programme makes a difference. These methods not only provide a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of a programme's impact but also allow organisations to present their achievements in an engaging and informative way. This approach ultimately supports greater programme efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Links:

Centre of Social Justice in Sport and Society: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/research/centre-for-social-justice-in-sport-and-society/

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

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Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

Brian Torrance is the President and CEO of ParticipACTION. He has over 14 years of experience in the SPAR sector, having contributed in both professional and volunteer capacities from organizing a marathon events to guiding national organizations. Our conversation spans a lot more than just the budget.

ParticipACTION is an organization that has become a cornerstone of Canada’s sport and recreation sector. For more than 50 years, ParticipACTION has encouraged Canadians of all ages and backgrounds to move more, sit less, and build healthier communities through the power of physical activity.

Links:

ParticipACTION: https://www.participaction.com/

Sport England: Children’s activity levels rising but inactivity remains too high: https://www.sportengland.org/news-and-inspiration/childrens-activity-levels-rising-inactivity-remains-too-high

Directly measured physical activity and sedentary time in Canada: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/251017/dq251017b-eng.htm

Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2023 Domestic Travel: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-statistics-great-britain-2024/transport-statistics-great-britain-2023-domestic-travel

Active transportation - How are children getting to school?: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/active-transportation-how-children-getting-school.html

Sport England: Record numbers playing sport and taking part in physical activity: https://www.sportengland.org/news-and-inspiration/record-numbers-playing-sport-and-taking-part-physical-activity

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

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Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

Matt DeCourcey is the Director of Government Affairs with the Trans Canada Trail. He brings 20 years of experience advising decision makers at the local, national and international level to his role as Director of Government Affairs with Trans Canada Trail.

A public policy leader, community builder, and former Member of Parliament, his deep political and public affairs knowledge, experience developing strategic partnerships, and ability to shape and influence policy has helped him advise international NGO’s, post-secondary and business leaders, and Canada’s ministers of finance, foreign affairs and immigration.

The Trans Canada Trail is the longest multi-use trail system in the world and it is always growing. It reaches every province and territory, and connects all three of Canada’s coastlines. Each section of the Trans Canada Trail is managed locally and supports different activities and community needs.

Links:

Trans Canada Trail: https://tctrail.ca/?_gl=1%2A1vt33qr%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2AMTIzMDMyNzg0NC4xNzY0MDEzNzMx%2A_ga_Z63TFVPQJ6%2AczE3NjQwMTM3MzEkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjQwMTM3MzEkajYwJGwwJGgxMjgyNjI1NjY4

Bookclub sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXiczKtPflGv4vaIEw9wJvGZ2RASB5_3-DIPRU0N-T8Io8Zg/viewform?usp=header

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

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Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

Build Kamloops is a multi-year, multi-phase visionary program to re-establish the city’s prominence as Canada’s Tournament Capital, foster our recognition as a premier arts and culture destination, and keep pace with our recreation and leisure needs as one of Canada’s fastest-growing communities.

Sherri Holmes is the Sport, Recreation and Wellness Manager with the City of Kamloops.

Links:

Build Kamloops: https://letstalk.kamloops.ca/BuildKamloops

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sports-for-social-impact⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram (@SportsSocImpact)

Follow us on Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@sportssocimpact⁠

Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

The Canadian Sport Policy helps identify Canadian sport priorities and guides how federal, provincial and territorial governments advance sport. It provides a shared framework for working together to ensure sport contributes positively to the lives of individuals, communities and the country.

Links:

Canadian Sport Policy 2025-2035: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/sport-canada.html

Canadian Sport Policy 2012-2022: https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/pch/CH24-46-2012-eng.pdf

Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2022 to 2024: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/251017/dq251017b-eng.htm

Canadian Health Measures Survey: Activity monitor data, 2018-2019: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210901/dq210901c-eng.htm

Canada's Infrastructure Deficit: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-canadas-infrastructure-deficit-threatens-economic-competitiveness-and/

Canada’s public infrastructure “at risk,” new report finds: http://canadianinfrastructure.ca/en/press-release.html

Copenhill: https://www.copenhill.dk/en

Tiny data centre used to heat public swimming pool: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64939558

Australia’s Sports Diplomacy Strategy 2032+: https://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/people-to-people/sports-diplomacy/australias-sports-diplomacy-strategy-2032

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sports-for-social-impact⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram (@SportsSocImpact)

Follow us on Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@sportssocimpact⁠

Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

Toby Robinson is a British international swimmer specializing in freestyle and open water events, he competed at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in the 10km Open water event.

Katie Pumphrey is a Baltimore-based interdisciplinary artist and ultramarathon open water swimmer.

They are both Sport Ambassadors for the Swimmable Cities alliance.

Swimmable Cities is a global alliance dedicated to transforming urban waterways into vibrant, accessible spaces for swimming, recreation, and ecological renewal. Launched ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the movement now spans 192 organizations across 100 cities in 34 countries, championing the Right to Swim as well as Nature Rights.

Through summits, workshops, and community-led initiatives, Swimmable Cities empowers municipalities, activists, and citizens to reclaim their rivers, lakes, and harbours. The alliance promotes urban swimming culture as a catalyst for climate resilience, public health, and inclusive urban design—celebrating water as sacred and central to community wellbeing.

Links:

Swimmable Cities: https://www.swimmablecities.org/

Katie Pumphrey: https://www.katiepumphrey.com/about

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sports-for-social-impact⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram (@SportsSocImpact)

Follow us on Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@sportssocimpact⁠

Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

Kim Gurtler is the CEO of the Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC), bringing extensive expertise in operations, project management, and relationship-building to lead impactful initiatives and outcomes. Recognized for her collaborative leadership and steady optimism, Kim is instrumental in fostering strong partnerships and supporting sector-wide efforts that use knowledge and evidence to advance sport in Canada.

She is also the co-founder of Ringette for All—Canada’s first all-abilities ringette program for children living with disabilities—and continues to contribute to national committees focused on creating inclusive, barrier-free sport environments.

SIRC is Canada’s most trusted leader in advancing sport through knowledge and evidence. Engaging with organizations and individuals across the sport, recreation, and physical education sector—both nationally and globally—SIRC’s mission is to build capacity, drive excellence, and support the growth of the sport sector.

Links

SIRC: https://sirc.ca/

Canadian Sport Policy 2025-2035: https://csp.sirc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Canadian-Sport-Policy-2025-2035-EN-FINAL.pdf

Canadian Sport Policy info sheet: https://csp.sirc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Canadian-Sport-Policy-Summary-Sheet-FINAL.pdf

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sports-for-social-impact⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram (@SportsSocImpact)

Follow us on Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@sportssocimpact⁠

Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠