As delivered

Dear Prime Minister, Ministers, Distinguished Guests,

It is a pleasure to be here in Tbilisi and I want to begin by thanking the Georgian authorities as, together, we take the next crucial steps towards a world of sport that advances human rights and extinguishes corruption.

There is today a heightened awareness of the need to take that journey.

Increased openness and transparency have illuminated the range of human rights issues affecting sports people, their fans and supporters, and those who work in sports organisations and the sports industry.

These include violence and discrimination whether on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or origin;

Arbitrary decision making; unfair procedures; and breaches of workers’ rights;

The emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children and exploitation and trafficking of athletes.

And when it comes to fighting corruption, our eyes have also been opened to the extent of doping, match-fixing, illegal betting, bad governance, conflicts of interest and other malpractice that sprouts up through gaps in sports governance.

The bad news is that these practices exist; but the good news is that we are fast developing the means to take the collective action that counters them.

Our Organisation, the Council of Europe, was of course founded to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law among our member states.

And what sets us apart from others who want to establish best practice in sports, is that we have both the scale and the legal instruments that transform aspiration into law, and put law into practice – across our member states, and beyond.

This is true of our main treaty – the European Convention on Human Rights.

Interpreting that treaty, the European Court of Human Rights’ decisions have clarified the law on a number of sports-related issues from the role of riot controls at football matches, to the use of police custody to prevent hooliganism, to the exercise of freedom of religion in the context of physical education.

And in recent years, as sports-related challenges have become clearer, so our efforts have become more specialised and our conventions more specific.

Specifically, our Anti-Doping Convention, our Manipulation of Sports Competitions – or Macolin – Convention, and our Saint Denis Convention on an integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events.

The Anti-Doping Convention was the first legally-binding international treaty on this subject.

It requires and helps its 52 States Parties to prevent, identify and deal with the misuse of drugs in sport.

But it also protects against the abuse of athletes’ human rights in an environment where suspicions about competitors’ drug use are common, which is why its monitoring group has recently adopted a Recommendation on “Ensuring the independence of hearing panels and promoting fair trial in doping cases”.

In 2014, we adopted the Macolin Convention.

This is also the first – and only – legally-binding international instrument in its area – specifically, to secure and sustain effective global co-operation against the spectrum of means by which sports can be manipulated.

I can honestly say that I have never seen the terms of a Convention implemented so widely and effectively before ratification.

The Council of Europe has been working since 2016 with key stakeholders, institutions and professional networks in order to put in place all aspects of the Convention – with national platforms serving as information and co-ordination hubs – so that countries are compliant and standards are raised now.

But ratification is essential to create a solid legal co-operation space that guards against malpractice, as this is confirmed by recent events.

With three ratifications so far, we need just two more for the Convention to come into force.

And given that 30 other states have signed, and the fact that national parliaments are doing the work required for ratification, I know that the moment will come soon.

It is not a matter of if, but when.

And it will be to the benefit of all member states that choose to join what is in fact a global standard, open to countries around the world.

Just as our Saint Denis Convention – which came into force last year – is raising the bar for the protection of athletes and spectators alike around the world.

These Conventions are a solid legal basis for better sporting practice – but they are by no means the end of the story.

We have a range of additional tools and strategies through which to share information and spread best practice across as wide a canvas as possible.

For example, our Start to Talk campaign launched earlier this year calls on public authorities and the sports movement to take the concrete measures that will protect children and prevent and respond to child sexual abuse.

Our Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sports, which organised this event, encourages co-operation between public authorities and the sports movement.

Ten years after its creation, EPAS has become a key player in the development of sports policies and standards in Europe and beyond. 

Specifically, it has worked with member states’ governments and other actors to help ensure that sports organisations meet high ethical standards and implement the principles of good governance at every level.

For example, EPAS has co-ordinated the drafting of a recommendation for fostering good governance at national level which will come before our Committee of Ministers for their approval next month.

And both EPAS and the Council of Europe are key partners in a new international partnership against corruption initiated by the IOC, the UK government and the OECD.

The Council of Europe is also proud to launch here in Tbilisi our unique HELP Course on Human Rights in Sport, which will help legal professionals and sports experts to better understand and apply European and international law standards.

And we are pleased to co-operate with international sports bodies that share our values and recognise that by working with us they can raise standards in their own organisations: the International Olympic Committee and major Federations working in this area – with MoUs signed between the Council of Europe and the World Anti-Doping Agency and, this year, with UEFA and FIFA too.

These are crucial partnerships that demonstrate our joint commitment to safe, inclusive and ethical sport.

And they recognise that only by working in coalition with sports organizations of this size, reach and relevance can we bring about change on the scale we need.

Ladies and gentlemen, this list is not exhaustive.

Rather, it is a snapshot of the increased activities that we are undertaking.

This is driven by an ever wider understanding that human rights and the rule of law must be embedded in every aspect of our lives and that sports, as the element of civil society in which the largest number of people are involved, cannot be exempt.

That is what our Conference today is all about.

The resolutions that you will adopt on human rights in sport and on corruption in sport are important milestones.

So too is the Declaration that you will issue.

They not only reaffirm the commitment of member states, but they are a practical guide that shows us all how to work together, share best practice, and achieve our common goals.

They consolidate what we have done – yes – but they also equip us to make progress on the significant challenges that lie ahead.

The Council of Europe will be here to help and support those who sign, in working towards a Europe – a world – in which human rights and the rule of law are threaded through our sporting communities.

This is vital, because sports have a special capacity to reach across social divides and bring individuals and communities together through common purpose and on the basis of trust.

Where people’s rights are abused or where sporting integrity falls short of the public’s rightful, high expectations, that trust is shattered, and every one of us loses out.

We are taking the measures required to prevent that – and the wind is at our backs.

I wish you all a successful conference.