Football legends join as new SIGA Champions
The group of stars joined for the “Champions Beyond the Game – Diversity, Inclusion, and the Power of Athletes” panel.
SIGA celebrated the “Champions Beyond the Game – Diversity, Inclusion, and the Power of Athletes” panel, in which it announced that a number of high-profile sports figures had joined forces with the organisation which seeks to promote transparency and integrity in sport.
Daniel Carvalho (“Dani”), Nuno Gomes, Olga Garcia and Vítor Baía, all joined as the newest SIGA Champions, and made an appearance at the forum.
In a statement, SIGA said: Expanding its global network of athlete ambassadors for Sport Integrity, the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has welcomed football legends Daniel Carvalho (“Dani”), Nuno Gomes, Olga Garcia and Vítor Baía, as the newest SIGA Champions. Their appointment was announced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the panel “Champions Beyond the Game – Diversity, Inclusion, and the Power of Athletes”, where they appeared at the invitation of SIGA, ESTAAD’s Official Sport Integrity Partner. The new Champions were welcomed by Paulo Sousa, who was added to the initiative during the Sport Integrity Forum Asia, in Dubai.
It continued: “These latest appointments build on the momentum generated at ESTAAD in the previous edition, when Gilberto Silva, Sol Campbell and Nicola Innocentin joined the SIGA Champions Programme, and follow last week’s additions in Dubai, which included Paulo Sousa, Jessica Smith and Mark Colbourne. With Dani, Nuno Gomes, Olga Garcia and Vítor Baía on board, the SIGA Champions network now comprises 32 athletes and coaches from around the world.
Daniel da Cruz Carvalho, widely known as Dani, is a former professional footballer who played primarily as an attacking midfielder. After beginning his career at Sporting CP, he joined Ajax, where he appeared in nearly 100 competitive matches and won three major titles, wearing the iconic number 14, wearing the iconic number 14 shirt once associated with Johan Cruyff. Recognised for his career, he now lends his voice and experience to the global movement for Sport Integrity as a SIGA Champion.
Over more than a decade at SL Benfica, Nuno Gomes became one of the club’s defining figures, scoring 166 goals in 398 appearances and earning the admiration of fans for his instinct, consistency, and leadership. His career took him beyond Portugal —to Italy with ACF Fiorentina and later to England with Blackburn Rovers — while on the international stage he was a key figure in two of Portugal’s most memorable campaigns: the Euro 2000 semi-final run and the Euro 2004 final. With 79 caps and ten major trophies, he now brings that wealth of experience to the SIGA Champions Programme, determined to help elevate integrity across global sport.
Olga García belongs to a pioneering generation of Spanish footballers who helped redefine the women’s game. A forward with a keen sense for decisive moments, she enjoyed a trophy-rich spell at FC Barcelona, lifting league titles and four Copa de la Reina trophies before continuing her journey with Levante UD and Atlético Madrid. Her 34 international caps reflect a career built on talent, resilience, and evolution. Beyond the pitch, she has established herself as a strong advocate for equality, representation, and innovation in sport. By joining the SIGA Champions as the first Spanish athlete in the initiative, she adds her voice to a global effort to transform sport into a more inclusive and trustworthy arena for all.
Vítor Baía is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and is one of the most decorated goalkeepers of all time. His career was closely linked to FC Porto, where he began playing as a teenager and helped the club secure 26 titles before continuing his journey in an ambassadorial role. He also played for Barcelona and represented Portugal in two European Championships and the 2002 World Cup. As a SIGA Champion, he stands as a true icon of Portuguese football committed to protecting the integrity of the game.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Co-Founder and Global CEO, SIGA; and Executive Chairman, SIGA ASIA, welcomed the new SIGA Champions:
“Last week in Dubai, Paulo Sousa, Jessica Smith, and Mark Colbourne stepped forward to join the SIGA Champions Programme. This week, that momentum continues in Riyadh, as Vítor Baía, Olga Garcia, Nuno Gomes and Dani unite with us. When athletes of this calibre side with SIGA, it’s never just a personal choice — it’s a powerful declaration that integrity, transparency, and accountability must define the future of sport. Each new Champion strengthens our global movement. A global movement that is changing how sport is played, governed, and experienced.
Seven remarkable former athletes in one week! Our Champions community has never been stronger, more diverse, or more influential. These legends are far more than icons on the field; they are leaders with purpose, proving that sport, if governed and operated with integrity, can drive social progress, principled leadership, and human development. Together, they are transforming values into action and legacy into real, lasting impact.”
Dani newly appointed SIGA Champion, said:
“Football has given me more than I could ever have imagined, but with that privilege comes a duty. A duty to protect the game from anything that undermines fair play, respect, and honesty. By joining the SIGA Champions, I want to promote a culture in sport where results are earned, not manipulated, and where every young player can dream, knowing the game is clean. If my voice and my experience can help inspire the next generation to choose integrity, then my career will have meant more than trophies and titles.”
Reflecting on a career that spanned clubs, countries, and generations of fans, Nuno Gomes shared his perspective on why joining the SIGA Champions matters:
“Throughout my career, I played in several countries, experienced different realities and, since 2020, I have been involved in the FIFA–TDS project, which aims to strengthen talent development in federations around the world. This experience has reinforced my belief that integrity is an essential pillar of sport. Good governance, the protection and development of young people, financial transparency and sports betting integrity are non-negotiable values if we want football in particular, and sport in general, to remain a true source of positive development for society — and that is why I am joining this group of inspiring SIGA Champions.”
Speaking from her experience as a trailblazer in Spanish women’s football and now as a SIGA Champion, Olga García expressed her motivation in taking on this new role:
“For me, it is a true honour to become the first Spanish athlete to be part of the SIGA Champions. I have always believed that integrity in sport begins with fundamental values such as gender equality, respect, and the promotion of women’s leadership, on and off the field. I hope that my career can inspire more women to pursue their dreams in sport and, at the same time, be a positive reference for all those who see football as a space of fairness, opportunity, and growth for everyone.”
Paulo Sousa, who recently joined the SIGA Champions Programme during the Sport Integrity Forum Asia in Dubai, reflected on the values that guide his commitment to this new role:
“I’m grateful to join the SIGA community and to have the opportunity to be part of an initiative that promotes values that are close to my heart. Integrity is a choice: it is our daily actions and our commitment to always try to be better that truly give it meaning. It’s through consistency and example that values become real. That’s something I learned at home from my parents. In sport, because it has the power to reach so many people, we have a duty to lead by example and inspire through our actions. In Portuguese, SIGA means “Let’s go”, so… SIGA!!”
Vítor Baía, one of the most decorated goalkeepers of all time and now a SIGA Champion, added:
“Integrity is a cornerstone of sport. Without integrity there is no trust, and without trust sport becomes a farce. It is with a strong sense of responsibility that I join the group of SIGA Champions, a community of men and women with a distinguished track record in sport. I will strive to continue being an inspiration to all those, on the pitch and in the stands, who believe that sport is a vehicle for social, human, and economic development.”
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