Volker Turk also recalled that Russia has already killed “more than 450 Ukrainian athletes” and destroyed more than “500 sports facilities”, thus justifying the impositions of the International Olympic Committee.
Athletes must be able to report human rights violations, such as racism and discrimination, without fear of retaliation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights argued on Monday, less than a month before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
“They show enormous courage and they must be supported. These athletes must be supported and protected, so that they can report and seek redress in complete safety, without fear of reprisals,” said Volker Turk, recalling that the event will take place in a context of war in Europe.
The Austrian spoke before the UN Human Rights Council, whose Secretary General is the Portuguese António Guterres, and before the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the German Thomas Bach.
Some situations are more popular than others.: racist or sexist incidents, assaults, violence against women, corruption, discrimination based on religion, disability, nationality or sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Volker Turk.
The High Commissioner also highlighted the progress that has been made in this area, recalling the conviction of three fans last month, in Spain, for racist attacks on Brazilian international footballer Vinicius Júnior, Real Madrid forward.
Three Valencia fans convicted of racist insults towards Vinicius Júnior
In the debate that followed, Russia denounced the attempt to “eliminate Russian and Belarusian sport”, in reference to the impossibility of its athletes representing the country in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, motivated by the invasion and subsequent war in Ukraine. .
Russia “shocked” by “illegal, unfair and unacceptable” IOC decisions
Representative of Ukraine to the UN He argued that the Russia “has already killed more than 450 Ukrainian athletes, including world champions,” and the Russian military “destroyed more than 500 sports facilities” on Ukrainian soil.
International Olympic Committee says Russia ‘has sunk further’
Source: Observadora
