Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang will donate $4 million to USA Women’s Rugby over the next four years to boost the team’s resources for players and coaching staff ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Kang will earmark $50 million in seed funding and matching contributions though her new nonprofit, London-based Kynisca Sports International. The nonprofit’s goal is to eventually raise $100 million to support women’s sports.
She cofounded Falls Church, Virginia-based government contractor Cognosante, which was acquired by Accenture Federal Services this spring. She also owns Olympique Lyonnais Féminin and London City Lionesses women’s soccer clubs.
A longtime investor and philanthropist, Kang was born and raised in South Korea. She became the first woman of color to own a National Women’s Soccer League when she bought the Washington Spirit in 2022. However, sports aren’t her only ventures. Kang currently serves on the boards of the Washington National Opera and previously served on the Kennedy Center International Committee.
As she announced the new nonprofit, Kang presented a staggering percentage; only 6% of sports science data is currently focused exclusively on female athletes, so Kynisca will include scientists, academics and engineers to prioritize developing training methods and education for coaches and athletes.
“We have only begun to unlock the potential of female athletes. We will understand women’s physiology and biology and train athletes according to supporting data,” said Kang. “Kynisca Innovation Hub will become a pioneer of female performance research, so we can stop training women as if they are simply small men, and unlock their true potential.”
Kynisca is named after Cynsca, believed to be the first female champion in the ancient Olympic Games, in chariot racing.
In announcing the USA Women’s Rugby gift, USA Rugby chief executive Ross Young called it transformative.
“This will allow us to supercharge the progression of this program as we build to climb the podium in 2028 with Gold Medal aspirations in Los Angeles,” he said. “This increase in support will ensure we can deploy the resources to the right places to win when it matters the most, inspiring a nation of rugby players and solidifying our place on the world stage.”
The U.S. women’s rugby team defeated Great Britain at the Paris Olympics on Monday. On Tuesday, they then beat Australia, winning a bronze medal.
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