Etienne Stott
Biddle Family Scholar
Independent
Etienne Stott won the Gold Medal at the London 2012 Olympics in the sport of canoe slalom, with his crew-mate Tim Baillie. He was lucky enough to have a career spanning 20 years, experiencing the highs of successes at international level, the pressures of intense rivalries and the lows of serious injury and devastating failures.
After retiring from elite sport in 2016, Etienne completed an Open University degree in psychology to add to the practical knowledge gained through his athletic career. His sporting and educational background have given him an unshakeable belief in human potential. Upon realising the threat posed by global overheating and ecosystem destruction to the possibilities of a vast majority of people, Etienne decided that it was logical to do everything he could to safeguard the future of all life on this planet. He is now an outspoken campaigner for immediate action to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. He is a proud and visible member of Extinction Rebellion, adding his weight as an Olympian to help communicate the urgency of this unprecedented situation. Etienne is also a co-founder of 'Champions for Earth', a campaign group which aims to harness the power of sport and sporting values in the struggle to address the planetary emergency. Champions For Earth empowers and supports athletes to use their sporting platforms in their communities and beyond to advocate for change. Etienne’s antidote to the strains of campaigning are windsurfing, dog-walking and supporting his stepson’s football team.
During their Biddle Family Scholarship, Etienne is collaborating with Dr Mark Doidge from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.