The Sporting Chance Forum opened today in Geneva with speeches from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the Secretary General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Guy Ryder, and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach all reflecting on the importance of human rights and sport. The opening session was broadcast live and is available below.
They were welcomed by Mary Robinson, Chair of the Mega-Sporting Events Platform for Human Rights (MSE Platform), who also announced that an independent Centre on Sport and Human Rights was to be established in 2018.
The Centre plans are backed by the diverse coalition behind the MSE Platform, including FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, Commonwealth Games Federation, and UEFA, as well as a range of intergovernmental organisations, governments, athletes, hosts, sponsors, broadcasters, civil society representatives, trade unions, employers associations, and national human rights institutions.
The Sporting Chance Forum brings together nearly 200 global leaders, experts, and advocates on sport and human rights, and is hosted by IHRB, the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs, and the MSE Platform. This is the second annual Forum, the only international event of its kind focused on galvanising collective action around human rights and sport.
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26 March 2024 | Commentary
Commentary by Scott Jerbi, Senior Advisor, Policy & Outreach, IHRB