Human Rights Council holds Panel Discussion on Human Rights through sport and the olympic ideal

Human Rights Council
MIDDAY 27 February 2012

The Human Rights Council held today a panel discussion on human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal.

In an opening statement, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that several key United Nations documents acknowledged sport as a vehicle for peace and human development. Sport and human rights shared many fundamental values and objectives, and parts of the Olympic Charter rhymed perfectly with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, it was surprising to note how little interaction there had been so far between the human rights movement mechanisms and the world of sports. In view of the unique media attention attracted, the Olympic and Paralympic Games had enormous potential to promote awareness and understanding of human rights.

Jeremy Browne, United Kingdom Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, acting as moderator, said the United Kingdom, as a host of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games, wanted to make an important connection between the values embodied in this forum and the values embodied in the Olympic Games, such as values of humankind and the principle of equality for all the people. The United Kingdom wanted to harness the interest of the public and make sure that when people tuned in to watch the London 2012 games there would be a wider agenda visible, that of human rights, in addition to the games.

Keith Mills, Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Organizing Committee, speaking as a panelist, said that it would be a folly to suggest that sports were the answer to everything, but it was possible to use sports as ambassadors for peace and as catalysts for change, particularly for the young people. The United Kingdom was working to promote peace in several programmes, including the one where schools across the United Kingdom were using sports to address violence.

Carlos Nuzman, President of Rio 2016, speaking as a panelist, said the Rio 2016 Games would bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to a new territory: South America and its 400 million inhabitants. The project of the Rio 2016 Games was in line with the development goals set out in the Rio de Janeiro Master Plan to prioritize projects catering to youth. Structural changes to Rio would occur in transport and urban revitalization with the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit systems and the refurbishment of the port region.

Vladimir Lukin, Human Rights Ombudsman and President of the Russian Paralympics Committee, speaking as a panellist, said the practice of sports promoted human rights and only limited them when trainers and instructors had not engaged in education or provided personal examples of healthy living. Mr. Lukin suggested that a final document recommend States to strengthen education on the spirit of fair play and tolerance for others. Overcoming racism in sports remained one of the most urgent tasks of the international community.

In the discussion, speakers said there was no doubt that sport and major sporting events such as the Olympics and Paralympics had a major influence on sporting and international policies and promotion of human rights, while the Olympic ideals that had survived through the centuries since ancient times were a source of inspiration for all. How had the Paralympics affected policies on persons with disabilities in each of the countries that were organizing that important event? What international measures could be used to streamline the relationship between the Olympics and human rights? What was the best way to help Olympic athletes take messages of diversity and tolerance home after the Games? Girls and women were especially discriminated against and prevented from participating in the Games.

Speaking in the discussion were Greece, Azerbaijan, Amnesty International, Qatar, International Disability Alliance, Mauritania on behalf of the Arab Group, Costa Rica and Norway.

In concluding remarks, Maria do Rosario Nunes, Minister of Human Rights of Brazil, said that the legacy of the Olympics and Paralympics were as important as the events themselves. Stadiums were planned with universal access and infrastructure improvements would benefit communities. Brazil and the United Kingdom had proposed the panel with certainty that sports could have enormous benefit to promote human rights.

Also in concluding remarks, Anatole Fabien Marie, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, thanked Minister Jeremy Browne, the panelists and speakers for their contributions, which had highlighted ways of harnessing the vast potential of the Olympics and Paralympics to raise awareness and ownership of human rights as well as synergy between universal sporting values and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Council concluded its midday meeting at 2:50 p.m. and immediately resumed its High-level Segment.

Opening Statements

NAVI PILLAY, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that several key United Nations documents acknowledged sport as a vehicle for peace and human development. Sport and human rights shared many fundamental values and objectives, and parts of the Olympic Charter rhymed perfectly with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, it was surprising to note how little interaction there had been so far between the human rights movement mechanisms and the world of sports. Historically sport proved to be a powerful tool for the empowerment of marginalized groups, such as girls and women, minorities, indigenous and persons with disabilities. In countries struggling with poverty or conflict, sport assisted greatly in building development and peace, for example the demobilization process of child soldiers in Sierra Leone and Liberia, where children from opposing factions played in mixed football teams at their rehabilitation centres.
In view of the unique media attention attracted, the Olympic and Paralympic Games had enormous potential to promote awareness and understanding of human rights. Ms. Pillay encouraged the host organizers of the forthcoming Olympic Games in the cities of London and Rio de Janeiro, and on the sites of Sotchi in Russia and PyeongChang in the Republic of Korea, to pay special attention to the promotion of human rights.

JEREMY BROWNE, United Kingdom Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, moderator of the panel, said the United Kingdom, as a host of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games, wanted to make an important connection between the values embodied in this forum and the values embodied in the Olympic Games, such as values of humankind and the principle of equality for all the people. The United Kingdom wanted to harness the interest of the public and make sure that when people tuned in to watch the London 2012 games there would be a wider agenda visible, that of human rights, in addition to the games.

Statements by the Panelists

KEITH MILLS, Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Organizing Committee, said that this panel was appropriate given the role of the Human Rights Council and the Olympic Committee in advancing the human rights agenda. It was clear that there was a need to act differently today and this meant a new approach to advancing human rights through cooperation and better understanding between countries and communities. It would be a folly to suggest that sports were the answer to everything, said Mr. Mills, but it was possible to use sports as ambassadors for peace and as catalysts for change, particularly for the young people. The United Kingdom was working to promote peace in several programmes, including the one where schools across the United Kingdom were using sports to address violence. Everyone was focusing on finding new ways of using sports to promote peace and human rights and Mr. Mills was looking forward to the discussion today.

CARLOS NUZMAN, President of Rio 2016, said the Rio 2016 Games would bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to a new territory: South America and its 400 million inhabitants. The project of the Rio 2016 Games was in line with the development goals set out in the Rio de Janeiro Master Plan to prioritize projects catering to youth. Its major highlights were the Olympic Training Centre and the X Park, the latter being built in a neighbourhood with the highest concentration of youth under 18 years old. Structural changes to Rio would occur in transport and urban revitalization with the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit systems and the refurbishment of the port region. The project Minha casa, Minha vida, served the population required to be resettled due to construction of the Bus Rapid Transit system. Between 2009 and 2011, over 8,000 households were successfully resettled and no resettlement was carried out without judicial authorization.

VLADIMIR LUKIN, Human Rights Ombudsman and President of the Russian Paralympics Committee, said that the fundamental provisions in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were consistent with the goals of the Olympic movement. The practice of sports promoted human rights and only limited them when trainers and instructors had not engaged in education or provided personal examples of healthy living. Mr. Lukin suggested that a final document recommend States to strengthen education on the spirit of fair play and tolerance for others. An effective way of strengthening human rights could be policies promoting Sport for All. Overcoming racism in sports remained one of the most urgent tasks of the international community. There was a need to unify the human rights and sports movements. Mr. Lukin warned against the increasing attempts to politicize the Olympic Games.

Discussion

Greece said there was no doubt that sport and major sporting events such as the Olympics and Paralympics had a major influence on sporting and international policies and the promotion of human rights, while the Olympic ideals that had survived through the centuries since ancient times were a source of inspiration for all. How had the Paralympic Games affected policies on persons with disabilities in each of the countries that were organizing that important event? Had the London Olympics Organizing Committee worked with United Nations human rights machinery in planning for the 2012 Games? Azerbaijan said that it considered sport as an important element of its development strategy. 2012 had been declared the Year of Sport in Azerbaijan, and its capital city Baku had bid for the 2020 Olympics. Azerbaijan asked what international measures could be used to streamline the relationship between the Olympics and human rights, and could Minister Jeremy Browne share the United Kingdom’s early best practices on The London 2012 Sustainability Plan towards a One Planet 2012?

Amnesty International raised the issue of the 1984 toxic gas leak from a Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, which killed 7,000 to 10,000 people immediately and another 15,000 people over the next 20 years. Since 2001, the company Dow Chemicals had been the parent company of the Bhopal factory, but had consistently denied any responsibility. In 2010 Dow Chemicals was granted status of official Worldwide Olympic Partner by the International Olympic Committee, and had provided the fabric wrap encircling the London Olympic Stadium. The Olympic Indian Association recently called on the International Olympic Committee to terminate the sponsorship deal with Dow Chemicals.

Qatar expressed its belief that sports had a positive effect on social, cultural and economic rights. Qatar had initiated a national sports day in which all sectors of society took part in physical activities with the purpose of raising awareness of the importance of sports. International Disability Alliance said sport in general played an important part in the universal principles of non-discrimination, equality, respect and dignity. However, persons with disabilities had been excluded from these kinds of activities. The inclusion of persons with disabilities in all activities related to sport was essential, as lack of access prevented full development, advancement and empowerment. Mauritania, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, emphasized the importance of sporting events in promoting understanding and tolerance between peoples and emphasizing the tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Sports played a role in spreading tolerance and mutual respect and were linked to the right to health, particularly the health of girls and women. The Arab Group emphasized the need to ensure the easy mobility of athletes, allow the free access and transport of sports equipment and eliminate the administrative obstacles that prevented the construction of sports facilities.

Costa Rica asked about the best way Olympic athletes could take messages of diversity and tolerance home after the Games. Norway said girls and women were especially discriminated against and prevented from participating in the Games, and even today some United Nations Member States had never sent a woman to compete in the Olympic Games. How were Olympic hosts challenging those countries?

Response to the Questions and Comments by the Panelists

KEITH MILLS, Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Organizing Committee, confirmed that they took legacy plans very seriously. In answer to Amnesty International, the Committee had taken substantial due diligence to satisfy themselves that Dow Chemicals were not responsible in any way for the tragic Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal. No country took disability sport more seriously than the United Kingdom, and the 2012 Games would be the biggest and best ever.

CARLOS NUZMAN, President of Rio 2016, said the idea to create an inter-ministerial group to follow the progress of the Millennium Development Goals would be finalized soon and followed up on until 2015. The International Olympic Committee had only entered into contracts with entities that proceeded with work in accordance with
the values of the Olympic movement.

VLADIMIR LUKIN, President of the Russian Paralympic Committee, said he hoped the panel was only the beginning of a partnership between human rights and sport. Discrimination against women existed, and also in general, and the Council should prepare recommendations to define discrimination. For example the non-participation of men in artistic gymnastics was not necessarily discrimination against men. Environmental issues were also crucial.

Concluding Remarks

MARIA DO ROSARIO NUNES, Minister of Human Rights of Brazil, said that the legacy of the Olympics and Paralympics were as important as the events themselves. Stadiums were planned with universal access, and infrastructure improvements would benefit communities. Brazil and the United Kingdom had proposed the panel with certainty that sports could have enormous a benefit to promote human rights.

JEREMY BROWNE, United Kingdom Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, moderator of the panel, noted that 20 States had not been able to speak or contribute to the panel due to time restrictions, but their statements would be published on the website. They could also take part in a special Olympic event taking place today.

ANATOLE FABIEN MARIE, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, thanked Minister Jeremy Browne, the panelists and speakers for their contributions, which had highlighted ways of harnessing the vast potential of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to raise awareness and ownership of human rights as well as synergy between universal sporting values and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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