Sport has been an important part of Tine Urnaut’s life from an early age. He practiced several sports and even competed in swimming, skiing, and football, but toward the end of primary school he decided to focus on volleyball. He began his volleyball career with the club Fužinar from Ravne na Koroškem, and from 2008 onwards he played for various clubs abroad — in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Poland, Qatar, Russia, and Japan. He is currently back in Slovenia as a member of ACH Volley.
He made his debut for the Slovenian men’s national volleyball team at just sixteen years old and has remained an indispensable member ever since. Over the past 20 years, he has helped the team achieve an extraordinary rise — from Slovenia’s early days ranked 64th in the world to winning medals at the European Championships and breaking into the group of the world’s top national teams. Since 2009, he has also been the captain of the Slovenian national volleyball team.
Janja Garnbret is the world’s best sport climber and the first Olympic champion in sport climbing, winning gold in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. She has dominated bouldering and lead climbing in World Cups for years and is considered one of the greatest athletes of all time in her discipline. With relentless determination and exceptional technique, she serves as a role model for many young athletes. Her wide presence, likable personality, openness, accessibility, and positive mindset make her one of the most beloved Slovenian athletes in history. Upon taking over the role of ambassador in November 2024, she said: “At the beginning of my career, I was surrounded by people who supported me. I believe it’s only right that I now offer support to others and give back to the sport that taught me so much.”
Goran Dragić is one of the greatest Slovenian basketball players and the MVP of EuroBasket 2017. NBA All-Star and long-time supporter of youth development, charity projects, and founder of the Goran Dragić Foundation.
Primož Roglič is Olympic gold medalist in time trial (Tokyo 2020), winner of multiple Grand Tours and the 2023 Giro d’Italia during his ambassadorship. Known for resilience and supporting youth through his family foundation.
Tina Maze is Slovenia’s most successful alpine skier. Winner of Olympic golds, overall World Cup champion, and symbol of excellence. She donated 14 items from her career for the charity auction and remains a role model.
Aleksander Čeferin is UEFA President and prominent sports figure who helped organize the 2021 charity football match in Stožice, bringing together football legends to support Botrstvo v športu.
Dr. Thomas Bach is a former German fencer, lawyer and long-time sports official. He was the President of the International Olympic Committee from 2013 to 2025, and is now its Honorary President for Life. The highlight of his sports career was the gold medal in team foil at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. A year later, he won the title of team world champion with the West German national team. After the end of his competitive career, he remained closely associated with sports and significantly helped shape the international Olympic movement through numerous leadership positions.
In 2020, as the first Ambassador of the Godfather in Sports, he supported a project aimed at young athletes and para-athletes from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. His ambassadorship began a tradition in which big names in sports come together every year to support the next generations. His path to Olympic champion and President of the International Olympic Committee reflects one of the key messages of Sponsorship in Sport: supporting young people helps create the conditions in which they can develop their talent and realize their sporting dreams.
