Accountable sport: no going again

Summary

This text explores the character and extent of the human rights obligations of Sports activities Governing Our bodies (SGBs). The relationships between SGBs and different actors within the sports activities ecosystem have more and more turn out to be considered by means of a human rights lens, with a selected deal with obligations as outlined within the United Nations (UN) Guiding Rules on Enterprise and Human Rights (UNGPs), with the UNGPs now acknowledged because the authoritative framework and roadmap for SGBs on human rights. Progress on this regard has been combined. Some SGBs have demonstrated resistance to embracing worldwide human rights norms and requirements, arguing that the UNGPs are non-binding and apply solely to business actors, whereas sports activities organisations are principally non-profit organisations with a excessive diploma of autonomy. Others have chosen a distinct path, changing into pioneers in making use of the UNGPs not solely to Mega Sporting Occasions (MSEs), but in addition to their insurance policies, governance mechanisms and operations. In recent times, two complementary tendencies have been noticed: the UNGPs have turn out to be more and more crystallised in circumstances and laws in quite a lot of jurisdictions and States have intervened in sports-related points on the idea of their obligation to guard affected teams the place nationwide sports activities our bodies haven’t complied with worldwide human rights norms and requirements. Fairly than presenting a problem to the world of sport, embracing human rights obligations must be seen as a possibility to underpin the worth of sport, retain the belief of stakeholders and preserve a social license to function below the dedication to a accountable autonomy.