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Boston, Massachusetts In a sporting universe fretted with greed, ego and money – all three in growing abundance – one demure star is a guiding light. Johann Olav Koss. That Johann Koss is not a household name today underscores the success of his own humility. Yet he is no less a sports, humanitarian and philanthropic giant, the perfect antidote to Michael Vick, Barry Bonds and much of the athletic world that clutters newspaper front pages. Distilling Johann Koss' athletic résumé is a golden litany. The four-time Olympic Gold Medalist in speed skating owned world headlines in 1994 when he won three gold medals at the Lillehammer Winter Games in the 1500, 5000 and 10,000-meter events. During his skating career, he broke 11 world records, took three World All-Round Championships, and won 23 World Cups and numerous National Championships. Time, Newsweek and dozens of magazines ran cover stories of his unmatched achievement on the ice. Sports Illustrated named him athlete of the year. His native Norway awarded Koss the distinction of "Best Norwegian Olympian Ever" in 1994, and the Norwegian Olympic Committee honored him with its highest prize: The Fearnleys Award.  Right to Play's volunteers work miracles in the world's impoverished corners. But Koss – who is also a trained physician with a master's degree in business and an honorary degree in law – swats away accolades of his past skating greatness like midges at Jacobs Field. What he is most proud of – and to which he has quietly and completely dedicated his life – is Right to Play, an international effort to help kids in war-torn and impoverished corners of the globe. Right To Play – now based in Toronto – develops and implements child and community athletic, education, and health programs in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, working with UNICEF, the World Heath Organization and other agencies. Since Koss became Right To Play's CEO and President, the organization's programs have touched millions of children worldwide and brought together thousands of volunteers and contributors. "I finally found something I was good at," laughs Koss. Dismiss any thought that Johann Koss is glove-leather, chair-bound CEO with access to a Lear jet. He is constantly in the field with rolled-up sleeves and fresh vaccinations, working alongside the dedicated staff and volunteers around the globe. In fact, visitors to the website (www.righttoplay.com) have some work ahead to even find Koss' name in the on-line pages. He flies under the radar and coach on "red-eyes" to keep every dollar going where it should. "To the kids, those kids whose lives truly hang in the balance every day," says Koss. Right To Play's administrative overhead hovers around a scant 10 percent, making the organization one of the world's most efficient philanthropies. Koss first became engaged with Right To Play – formerly known as Olympic Aid – in 1993, when as a volunteer he visited the African country of Eritrea. In the aftermath of a long and bloody civil war, Koss observed kids kicking cans, rolled-up clothing and pieces of wood as substitutes for balls. "Yet even in such poverty, danger and seeming hopelessness, there you see the purest joy of play," says Koss. That was Koss' eureka moment. Shortly thereafter at the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994, he donated his prize money from his victories to Olympic Aid and challenged other athletes to match his gesture. Olympic Aid ultimately raised some $18 million.
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