The Jack Kelly Fair Play Award was established by the United States Olympic Committee in 1985 to honor the late USOC President and Olympic medalist John B. “Jack” Kelly, Jr. The honor is awarded annually to an athlete, team, coach or official in recognition of an outstanding act of fair play and sportsmanship displayed during the past year.
Fair play can be described as an athlete who is dedicated to playing fair, obeys the rules, and upholds the spirit of the game. Sportsmanship is an athlete whose conduct and attitude demonstrate gracious behavior before, during, and after competition.
In addition to being a past president of the USOC, Kelly was an Olympic bronze medalist in single scull rowing in 1956 and an eight-time U.S. National Champion. He was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award for the top amateur U.S. athlete in 1947. He was the son of another famous Olympian, rowing triple gold medalist John B. Kelly, as well as brother to Princess Grace Kelly. Jack Kelly passed away in 1985.
Past Award Recipients
1985 Kandi Amelon and Alec Binnie; athletes, figure skating
1986 Judy Caunter; athlete, cycling
1987 Cleveland Stroud; high school coach, basketball
1988 Mike DeCicco; University of Notre Dame coach, fencing
1989 Richard A. Weiss; athlete, canoe/kayak
1990 Ashley Davenport, Tanya Giarnella, Maya Mylroie, Lexie Riley;
U.S. Olympic Festival East Women's Road Team, cycling
1992 Michelle Manus; high school cross-country runner, track and field
1993 Cathy O'Brien; 1988 and 1992 Olympic marathoner, track and field
1994 Kristen Talbot; three-time Olympian (1984, 1988, 1994), speedskating
1995 *Fred Lebow; Former President and CEO of the New York Road Runners Club
1996 *Col. F. Don Miller; Former USOC Executive Director and USOF President
1996 *Scott Shipley; athlete, canoe/kayak
1997 Jackie Joyner-Kersee; four-time Olympian (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996), track and field
1998 Lance Armstrong; three-time Olympian (1992, 1996, 2000), cycling
1999 Michele Akers; 1996 Olympian, soccer
2003 Laura Kraut; two-time Olympian (1992, 2000), equestrian
2005 Erin Mirabella; two-time Olympian (2000, 2004), cycling
2006 Ash Nelson; 2006 Wisconsin state junior champion, curling
2008 Central Washington University Women’s Softball Team
2009 Regina Jaquess; athlete, water ski
2010 Steve Pupel; athlete, table tennis
2011 Jenna Huff; athlete, track and field
2012 Meghan Vogel; athlete, track and field
2013 Adam Krikorian; U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team head coach
2014 Lucas Euser; athlete, cycling
2015 Miles Gould and Trey McDonald; athletes, archery
2016 Jim Eckford; athlete, track and field
2017 Abbey D’Agostino; 2016 Olympian, track and field
2018 Dr. Patricia DeLaMora, Ironman athlete
2019 May Tieu, 2018 Youth Olympian, fencing
2020 Maya Moore, two-time Olympian (2012, 2016), basketball
2022 Brittany Bowe, three-time Olympian (2014, 2018, 2022), speedskating
* Awarded posthumously