About the Statement

Issued by the Union Association for Human Rights, in cooperation with an organization holding consultative status, this written statement was submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council at its 58th session (February – April 2025). The statement focuses on joint international efforts to combat discrimination and racism in sports, and highlights the role of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in promoting the principles of equality, tolerance, and respect in sports activities, in line with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

Contents of the Statement:

First: General background

• This year marks the 60th anniversary of the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965), and the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (2001).
• The statement highlights the International Convention against Apartheid in Sports (1985) as a key legal milestone in combating racism in sports.

Second: The human rights framework for combating discrimination in sports

• The statement commends Human Rights Council resolution 54/25, which stresses the need to protect sports activities from all forms of racism, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
• It underscores the role of sports as a tool to promote understanding among peoples, while acknowledging that racist practices persist in certain contexts and tournaments.

Third: Recommendations of the statement

The statement calls on the Human Rights Council to achieve the following objectives:

• Condemn all forms of racial discrimination in sports.
• Affirm that racial discrimination constitutes a direct violation of human rights.
• Strengthen the spirit of sports as a platform for cooperation and understanding among peoples.
• Systematically eliminate discriminatory policies and practices within sports institutions.
• Use sports as a means of cultural dialogue and to promote coexistence.
• Reaffirm the humanistic nature of sports as a tool for justice and dignity.
• Require states to combat racial discrimination in sports through monitoring and accountability measures.

Fourth: Highlighting the role of the United Arab Emirates

The statement commends the UAE’s efforts in:

• Combating racism and hate speech.
• Enacting Federal Law No. 34 of 2023 to combat racial discrimination and promote a culture of tolerance.
• Leading efforts to adopt a UN Security Council resolution on tolerance, peace, and international security.
• Stressing, at the UN General Assembly, the role of sports in preventing crime and promoting development.
• Establishing the General Sports Authority, and enacting Federal Law No. 4 of 2023, reflecting a commitment to providing a fair and inclusive sports environment.

Importance and human rights context:

• The statement reflects the intersection of sports with human rights dimensions in confronting discrimination and racism.
• It highlights sports as a global platform for advancing social justice and human dignity.
• It presents the UAE as a model in utilizing sports as a tool of public rights policy and as part of its humanitarian diplomacy.