Sporting Events
Explore our latest research and analysis on the world’s biggest sporting events and the athletes, fans, and communities impacted by them.
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 […]
Qatar: Little Progress on Protecting Migrant Workers
Qatari authorities’ efforts to protect migrant workers’ right to accurate and timely wages have largely proven unsuccessful, Human Rights Watch said in a report and an accompanying video released today. Despite a handful of reforms in recent years, withheld and unpaid salaries, as well as other wage abuses, are persistent and widespread across at least 60 employers and companies in Qatar.
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 […]
China 2022: IOC Should Uphold Human Rights
Planning for the 2022 Olympics needs to address key human rights issues, the Sport & Rights Alliance said today. While Beijing’s May 2020 “Sustainability Plan” refers to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the document remains silent on human rights, labor standards, freedom of expression and association, LGBTI rights, media and internet freedom, rights to peaceful assembly and of association, transparency and anti-corruption.
Requirements for Human Rights, Labour Rights, Anti-Corruption and Stakeholder Involvement for Asian Cup 2027 Bidding Procedure
As the AFC prepares for the close of bids for the 2027 Asian Cup, the SRA would like to know what have been the mitigation measures already taken by the AFC to ensure that human rights are fully respected in the bidding for, as well as organization and delivery of, this event.
