English
EspañolIntroducing Prof. Dr. Angela Schneider OLY – ICSSPE Executive Board Member
ICSSPE
09/12/2025 12:31
The International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) is proud to welcome Angela J. Schneider OLY from Canada to its Executive Board. With a remarkable background combining elite athletic achievement, academic scholarship and deep commitment to sport ethics, Prof. Schneider brings invaluable perspectives to the organisation’s mission.
Prof. Angela Schneider’s journey in sport began with athletics in high school, but at university she discovered rowing and quickly excelled. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles she won a silver medal in the Women’s Coxed Four, representing Canada, a major milestone that would shape much of her later work.
Drawing on this elite‑level athletic experience, she transitioned into academia: after completing undergraduate, master’s and doctoral studies in kinesiology and philosophy, she settled into a faculty position at Western University (School of Kinesiology), where she now researches and teaches on sport ethics, Olympic studies, gender and sport, doping, embodiment, and human rights in sport.
In addition, she serves as the Director of the International Centre for Olympic Studies (ICOS) — bringing together historical, ethical and contemporary scholarship on the Olympic Movement.
In her first term on ICSSPE’s Executive Board, Prof. Schneider has identified several urgent and timely areas she believes the organisation should elevate:
- Sport integrity & doping ethics – With her background as the first Director of Ethics and Education at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Prof. Schneider emphasises the need for neutral, evidence-based education and policy debate around emerging issues such as genetic doping or evolving definitions of fairness.
- Gender, inclusion & the future of Olympism – Given upcoming global developments (e.g. debates about participation criteria for protected categories, evolving Olympic‑related policies), she sees a pivotal role for ICSSPE in critically examining how sport can continue to uphold equity, inclusion and human rights.
- Connecting Olympic Studies to wider societal challenges – As director of ICOS, she encourages initiatives that go beyond preserving the history of the Games, seeking to explore their impact on human rights, sustainability, inclusion and social justice. She envisions ICSSPE supporting symposia, research‑based dialogue and collaboration between scholars, practitioners and policymakers to advance these aims.
Prof. Schneider's vision aligns strongly with ICSSPE’s broader goals of evidence-based practice, inclusion, and global advocacy for sport and physical activity. Through her leadership, ICSSPE has the opportunity to deepen its engagement with pressing global challenges: doping integrity, gender equity, the social legacy of sport, and human rights.
Read the full interview with Prof. Angela in the attachment below, to learn more about her perspectives, priorities, and dedication to sport ethics, Olympic studies, and advancing integrity and inclusion in global sport.
