Chapter XXII - Olympic Idealism and Human Rights Infringements: How Athletes Cope with an Uncomfortable Reality

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Every two years, in the world of sport athletes aim at achieving the most prestigious reward in their careers, an Olympic gold medal. However, the Olympic (winter and summer) Games are not only associated with exciting matches and outstanding sports performances, but some of them have a rather dark side as well. History has shown that if the political or socio-economic situation in a hosting country is entwined with human rights violations, this may cast a shadow on the glamorous side of the event. The most striking example of such an entwinement was the abuse by the Nazi regime of the Olympic Games of 1936 in Berlin. More recently, the Summer Games in 2008 in Beijing raised huge concerns with regard to the limitation of free speech and the infringement of self-determination of the people of Tibet. The last Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi triggered a debate on discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. Moreover, due to the commercialisation of sport in general, and the Olympics in particular, the Games are also increasingly linked with serious forms of crime. Like the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in professional football, members of the board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have been accused of participating in serious fraud and corruption schemes, in particular concerning host venues for important competitions, allocation of rights, nomination for positions and commissioning construction works for sports arenas and other venues. These forms of corruption not only have a negative impact on the integrity of the Olympic movement, but may have detrimental effects on the socio-economic conditions under which the Games are organised as well. Many horrifying stories can be presented on casualties on construction sites as a result of poor working conditions, and forced evictions of inhabitants who have to leave their neighborhoods because of the construction of new stadiums or other Olympic facilities.

The protection of human rights is universally agreed upon and ratified in various Conventions. Recently, the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee published a report on the possibilities of using sport and the Olympic ideal to promote human rights for all and to strengthen universal respect for them.