The Olympic Games

Learn about the biggest human rights issues surrounding the Olympic Games with the latest from Sport & Rights Alliance partners.

Japan: Olympics Should Benefit Human Rights

Address Abuse of Child Athletes, LGBT Discrimination, Gender Gap (Tokyo) – Japan should address serious rights issues in the country as host of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Human Rights Watch said today in a new reporters’ guide. The Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, which start on July 23, 2021, are advertised as celebrating “unity in diversity” and […]

Tokyo Olympics: Take Action to Protect Athletes

Join the #AthletesAgainstAbuse Campaign

Japan: Introduce LGBT Equality Act Before Olympics

116 Groups Urge Prime Minister Suga to Take Action

China: Repression Threatens Winter Olympics

The Chinese government’s heightened repression from Xinjiang to Hong Kong threatens its hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. The Beijing Winter Olympics are scheduled to begin on February 4, 2022.

World Players Welcomes Expert Findings that IOC Must Embed Athlete, Human and Labour Rights within Olympic Movement

The World Players Association today welcomed the far reaching recommendations by former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, and Shift Vice President, Rachel Davis, that the Olympic Movement must acknowledge its responsibilities towards athletes’ internationally recognized human rights and basic dignity. The recommendations require the IOC to embed and implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) if it […]

Japan: Child Abuse in Pursuit of Olympic Medals

Host of 2021 Summer Games Should Undertake Urgent Systemic Reforms (Tokyo) – Child athletes in Japan suffer physical, sexual, and verbal abuse when training for sport, Human Rights Watch said in a new report, released today, that documents depression, suicides, physical disabilities, and lifelong trauma resulting from the abuse. Japan will host the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics beginning July […]