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BEIJING - Canada's top female badminton player is heading to Right to Play's office in East Africa to see first-hand what the Toronto-based humanitarian organization is all about.

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The Canadian Press

supportive athlete: Adam van Koeverden of Oakville, Ont. paddles during the kayak single (K1) 1,000-metre men's event at the Beijing Olympics in Beijing, China on Monday. Van Koeverden is among a group of Olympic athletes lending their support to Right to Play, a program introducing sport to world youth.

Two-time Olympian Anna Rice of North Vancouver, B.C. was one of two Olympic athletes awarded an Olympian service fellowship by Right to Play and Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday. The expectation is Rice, who also turned 28 on Tuesday, will serve a three-month term in Kampala, Uganda next year.

"Being involved with Right to Play has let me do my sport feeling like I'm contributing more," said Rice.

Rice was first introduced to the non-profit organization at the Athens Games in 2004. Given her background in history and political science, she was immediately intrigued.

"International development studies is a real passion of mine as is sport and badminton, so Right to Play is just a perfect merging of these passions," Rice said. Right to Play works with children to teach the value of sports and conflict resolution and has strong ties to the Olympics. It was founded by retired Norwegian Olympic speedskater and Toronto resident Johan Olav Koss at the Lillehammer Games in 1994.

Koss says Right to Play reaches 500,000 children world-wide each week and hopes to double that number in time for the 2012 Games slated for London.

"We were only five Olympic athletes (in 1994) and we wanted to make a difference," said Koss. "At every Olympic Games, we're getting bigger and bigger."

However Chinese Internet censors have blocked the organization's website even though several well known former Chinese athletes have lent their name to Right to Play. That includes retired diver Gao Ming, retired soccer goalkeeper Gao Hong and former speedskater Yang Yang A.

Canadian flag-bearer Adam van Koeverden is among international athletes donating memorabilia from the Beijing Games to the organization for an online auction.

The Canadian kayaking champion offered his flag-bearer's sash worn during the Beijing opening ceremonies for the auction.

Canadian rower Heather Mandoli was among a number of Canadian athletes on hand to lend their support to the organization at a Beijing event on the Olympic Green.

"One of my old teammates from university is heavily involved in Right to Play in the U.S. and I stumbled across it at a rowing regatta," said Mandoli. "I love children and anything that will help improve the quality of life of children anywhere around the world."

Rice, who plans to pursue a career in international development, says Right to Play makes it easier to concentrate on sport.

"I've often grappled with feeling guilty that sport is often a self-centred pursuit of personal glory," Rice said. "Being involved makes me feel like I'm contributing more." (