National Umbrella Organisation:
Human Rights and Sports,
Liikkukaa – Sports For All
Our major concern is sports and human rights, a connection easily forgotten or
overlooked. In classical Greek education, sports used to be one of three major topics, along with mathematics and philosophy. All these three have by now been split into different subtopics, yet physical education, sports events as peop
le unifying
entertainment, sports as related to role models and social inclusion is still a major part of what we should be concerned with. In modern sports, there is also the element of major global events again and again
taking place in countries with a significantly
challenged human rights situation. Also in the acute internal situation of
countries, targeting to involve migrants
and offer opportunities for minorities to
participate in social life, sports provides
huge opportunities, as well as challenges. ETNO experts have produced and published the relevant thesis concerning young migrants:
(http://www.intermin.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/uutiset/
maahanmuutto/1/0/etno_neuvottelukunnan_teesit_nuo
rista_harrastaminen_ehkaisee_syrjaytymista_49303)
Being able to participate in sports is a human right, here are some interesting quotes:
1. (http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/…/more-gamenexus-sport-and-…)
"Besides recognizing sport as a human right
itself, sports are also a platform for promoting
and raising awareness about all human rights
concerns. The same human rights violations that
happen within the sports world—discrimination,
violence against women, and denial of children’s
rights—impact society at large. Sports events,
teams, administrators, and athletes can use their
platform to share information and educate the world on human rights. Three United Nations international treaties—the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and
the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities— all clearly articulate the right to sport, recreation, physical activity, and play. These international documents make room for international, national, and local sports
organizations to embrace the fight for human rights."
2. Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter:
"The practice of sport is a human right. Every
individual must have the possibility of
practicing sport, without discrimination of any
kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires
mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship,
solidarity and fair play."
3. Added clause to the Olympic charter, principle 6:
"Any form of discrimination with regard to a
country or a person on grounds of race, religion,
politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible
with belonging to the Olympic Movement." In the light of the above, we should look at
several international, but most of all at the
internal issues, we can easily influence in our
own country. The extremely high cost for participating in
sports, together with the limited space and
facilities provided to exercise and growing
demand for administration are discriminating
large parts of the population from participating
in organized sports. Also regulations like t.ex. the football
federations ´homegrown´-rule (SK), however
reasonable they sound for protecting people born
and grown up in Finland, should be challenged in
this context.
