EOC Chief Overlooks Belarus Human Rights Issues in Speech

(ATR) Janez Kocijancic addressed Council of Europe sports ministers in a meeting focusing on protecting human rights and fighting corruption in sport.

The European Olympic Committees president spoke at the start of the conference in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Speakers also included Council of Europe deputy secretary general Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni and Georgian sports minister Mikheil Batiashvili.

No concerns were raised about Belarus’s poor human rights record.

Human Rights Watch is among a number of NGOs who have raised concerns about Belarus ahead of the Minsk 2019 European Games. Its 2018 report refers to "restrictive legislation" and a crackdown on human rights defenders and journalists.

According to Human Rights Watch, police arbitrarily detained at least 700 people in connection with protests, while "at least 177 people were charged with fabricated offenses, such as hooliganism or participating in unsanctioned protests, and sentenced to fines or up to 25 days’ detention".

Despite overseeing the staging of its flagship multisports event in Belarus next year, Around the Rings is told that Kocijancic didn’t talk about human rights issues and made no mention of any EOC lobbying of the country’s government to address its human rights abuses.

An EOC spokeswoman tells ATR that Kocijancic’s speech focused mainly on the activities of the European Olympic Committees and the European Sport model.

"As for the human rights issue, he spoke underlining they are universal and common values and sport has the power to open society and it is a good means of democratization," she said.

"The EOC has included in the host city contract of the European Games the same wording of the IOC on this subject."

At the 15th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for sport, Council of Europe deputy secretary general Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni talked about taking the "next crucial steps towards a world of sport that advances human rights and extinguishes corruption".

"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," she told delegates.

"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," she added, also referring to 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."

She added: "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."

Battaini-Dragoni said the European Convention on Human Rights had clarified the law on a number of sports-related issues including on anti-doping and protection against the abuse of athletes’ human rights but further ratifications were needed for it to come into force.

In a statement on its website, the European Olympic Committees said the ministers discussed measures needed to effectively promote and protect human rights in sport. But there were no details given of any declaration from the conference.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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