Empowering national sports association to stand up for human rights and against violation of international law

Written declaration No. 738 | Doc. 15475 | 20 May 2022

Signatories:

Ms Linda Hofstad HELLELAND, Norway, EPP/CD ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Olivier BECHT, France, ALDE ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway, SOC ; Ms Jennifer DE TEMMERMAN, France, ALDE ; Mr Artem DUBNOV, Ukraine, ALDE ; Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Austria, EPP/CD ; Lord George FOULKES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Michael HENNRICH, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Olena KHOMENKO, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Sir Tony LLOYD, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Arminas LYDEKA, Lithuania, ALDE ; Mr Oleksandr MEREZHKO, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Fiona O'LOUGHLIN, Ireland, ALDE ; Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Ireland, EPP/CD ; Ms Yuliia OVCHYNNYKOVA, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Ms Ingjerd SCHOU, Norway, EPP/CD ; Ms Lise SELNES, Norway, SOC ; Mr Virendra SHARMA, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Zeki Hakan SIDALI, Turkey, ALDE ; Mr Serhii SOBOLIEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Terje SØRVIK, Norway ; Ms Jane STEVENSON, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Pavlo SUSHKO, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Ms Ingvild Wetrhus THORSVIK, Norway, ALDE ; Ms Laurence TRASTOUR-ISNART, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Lesia VASYLENKO, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, EC/DA ; Mr Morten WOLD, Norway, EC/DA

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

We welcome the resolute response from Council of Europe member States and the solid regime of sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation by the European Union and the international community.

We also welcome the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee to not invite or allow Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to participate in international competitions, and encourage all international sports federations to implement the IOC decision.

While recognising the principle of not punishing athletes for their government’s decisions, it is unacceptable to allow Russian and Belarussian athletes’ international participation, while Ukrainian athletes cannot participate because of the attack on their country.

It is more important than ever that the world of sports stand up for human rights and international law. We hence regret to see how current regulations make it difficult for national sports associations to stand up, and act independently from international sports associations.

The Council of Europe and the governments of its member States should, in light of the non-existing public authorities’ sanctions means, now consider establishing mechanisms through which governments can act appropriately within the scope of their laws.