What do you think about when you hear the word Olympics? Is it the talent and hard work that goes into preparing four years for a single race; the ancient history and roots of the centuries old games; the ultimate arena for athletic prowess? I would bet the one thing you don’t think about is slavery. 

From the raw materials like lumber, steel, and coal used to construct the stadiums to the cotton in uniforms and towels, victims of forced labor are the unseen team members of the Olympics. Consider this: those glittering gold medals could be responsible for .7 slaves each, now multiply that the number of gold medals to be awarded and you’ll find nearly 211 slaves. Swimmer’s suits could be touched by the hands of around 808 forced laborers, and that’s not including the swimsuits worn by triathletes and synchronized swimmers. Although these numbers seem daunting and depressing, the Slavery Footprint team has added some new members that are bringing the fight against forced labor to London.

Slavery Footprint has asked Olympians from all over the world to get involved in the fight to end slave labor. Over the next two weeks, we’ll bring you the stories of Graeme Moore, Mathias Gydesen, and Sara Isakovic from South Africa, Denmark, and Slovenia and what they’re doing to bring attention to forced labor. Although they are competitors, they are united in their quest for freedom.

Join us by asking your loved ones and favorite Olympians to discover their own Slavery Footprint. This is our chance to build momentum towards a world free from slavery. 

Here’s what you can do.

1. Discover your Slavery Footprint. 
2. Tweet your favorite athletes: Slavery still exists in the products you use everyday, what’s your #slaveryfootprint?
3. Show your support for Graeme (@graemeswims), Mathias, and Sara by cheering them on during their races.