Kevin Wekesa, a mainstay of the Kenya Sevens national rugby team, has been named a recipient of the prestigious 2025 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Climate Action Award.
The announcement, made during a ceremony in Milan ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, recognizes Wekesa’s pioneering efforts to integrate environmental sustainability into the fabric of Kenyan sports.
Wekesa was honored in the “Athlete” category for his leadership of the “Play Green” initiative, a project he founded to tackle the growing environmental challenges facing his home country.
For Wekesa, the intersection of climate change and sport is not a theoretical concept but a daily reality. The Shujaa star’s commitment to the cause was sparked after visiting local schools where extreme heat and desertification had rendered rugby pitches unplayable.
“Rugby has taught me that teamwork extends beyond the pitch; it’s about coming together to protect our environment,” Wekesa said upon receiving the award. “Through ‘Play Green,’ we are cutting single-use plastics in sports and working with schools to turn climate education into action.”
The “Play Green” initiative has already achieved significant milestones under Wekesa’s guidance. By introducing reusable aluminum water bottles to both the men’s and women’s national rugby teams, the project has eliminated the need for approximately 144 single-use plastic bottles per training session, saving nearly 1,000 bottles every week.
Beyond waste reduction, Wekesa has spearheaded the “Shujaa Forests” project, which has overseen the planting of more than 2,300 trees across various Kenyan communities. These efforts are complemented by an educational outreach program that has reached over 40 schools, teaching students about water conservation, waste management, and climate justice.
The award also recognizes Wekesa’s influence on sports infrastructure. He has successfully collaborated with national federations to implement waste management systems at major tournaments, including the installation of clearly marked recycling bins and collection points to ensure stadiums are left cleaner than they were found.
Looking forward, Wekesa plans to use the momentum from the IOC award to establish “plastic-free zones” in stadiums and promote the use of biodegradable packaging at sporting events nationwide.
Wekesa shares the 2025 Athlete honors with New Zealand hockey player Hugo Inglis. Other winners included the National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands and the International Biathlon Union (IBU), recognized for their organizational and federation-level sustainability efforts.