Cover Khun Ying Patama Leeswadtrakul, member, International Olympic Committee
Khun Ying Patama Leeswadtrakul, member, International Olympic Committee
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The efforts of administrators and supporters allow athletes to focus on the competition
The sports figures on Asia’s Most Influential are not all athletes, but they play important roles out of the spotlight—by promoting sports and supporting athletes in a number of ways. Often working in the background, they ensure the complex machinery of sports runs smoothly by managing operations, logistics and even funding. As heads of foundations, they also give athletes opportunities and resources to reach their potential through sports programmes and clinics. Their important work also amplifies the positive effects of playing sports, which, apart from providing physical and well-being benefits, highlights human achievement, promotes understanding among different communities, and, as seen in the fervour surrounding the 2024 Olympic Games, fosters national pride.
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Nicol Ann David, co-founder, Nicol David Organisation (Malaysia)
Above Nicol Ann David, co-founder, Nicol David Organisation
Nicol Ann David, co-founder, Nicol David Organisation
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In 2023, squash legend Nicol Ann David was named Malaysia’s deputy chef de mission for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In her role, David helps guide the Malaysian contingent in the Olympic Games, serving as the team’s spokesperson, liaison and, of course, supporter. “The pressure they experience will be immense. Hopefully, I will be able to use what I’ve experienced in big events like the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, World Championships and so on to put myself in their shoes and give them that little bit of encouragement to say, ‘This is the final hurdle, you just have to go in and do your best’,” she said to Tatler,
Though she has not competed in the Olympics, David, who retired from competitive squash in 2019, is a sports star in her own right as an eight-time world champion and the world’s number one squash player for 108 consecutive months, from 2006 to 2015—a Guinness World Record. In May 2024, the sports icon added another feather to her cap when she was named the pro-chancellor of Heriot-Watt University Malaysia. “[S]eeing that I can share my experiences to inspire our youth really means a lot to me and I will do my very best to take on this role,” she said in a statement.
Read Nicol Ann David’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Jeremy Lin, founder, Jeremy Lin Foundation (Taiwan)
Above Jeremy Lin, founder, Jeremy Lin Foundation
Jeremy Lin, founder, Jeremy Lin Foundation
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In June 2024, five years after winning the NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors, basketball superstar Jeremy Lin clinched another championship, winning Taiwan’s P.League+ as part of the New Taipei Kings. Building on his many victories, the originator of the Linsanity phenomenon established the Jeremy Lin Foundation to support AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) and cross-racial youth programmes. In 2022, he launched the Jeremy Lin Basketball School, which teaches youths aged three to 18 basketball and life skills.
“I'm not passionate only about helping the next generation become great basketball players; I hope the next generation can become great people,” he said in an interview with Tatler. “I think they can learn a lot of lessons through basketball, and that includes communication, leadership, being able to serve people, humility, confidence, perseverance—life and character lessons that the next generation will need.” To celebrate Asian culture and inspire young people, Lin, together with Marvel star Simu Liu, also headlined the Celeb Classic basketball game in Toronto in July 2024.
Read Jeremy Lin’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Khun Ying Patama Leeswadtrakul, member, International Olympic Committee (Thailand)
Above Khun Ying Patama Leeswadtrakul, member, International Olympic Committee
Khun Ying Patama Leeswadtrakul, member, International Olympic Committee
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Khun Ying Patama Leeswadtrakul became a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2017, making her the first Thai woman to hold the position. The accomplished businesswoman, who is involved in Asia Metal, Chularat Hospital, Leo Global Logistics, Arnoma Hotels Group, G J Steel and G Steel, led Thailand’s Olympic Day celebrations throughout 2023. Held in Kanchanaburi, Mukdahan and Nan, the events featured mini-marathons and sports activities such as basketball, boxing and rock climbing.
Patama supports sports further in various roles, including deputy president of the Badminton World Federation, president of the Badminton Association of Thailand Under Royal Patronage, and member of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand. The prominent sports administrator is also the chairperson of the IOC’s Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission and a member of the IOC commissions, Olympic Solidarity and Revenues and Commercial Partnerships.
Read Khun Ying Patama Leeswadtrakul,’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Tatler Asia’s Most Influential is the definitive list of people shaping our world today. Asia’s Most Influential brings together the region's most innovative changemakers, industry titans and thought leaders who are driving positive impact in Asia and beyond. View the full list here.
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