Free, Prior, and Informed Consent: The Olympic Movement’s International Responsibilities to Indigenous Peoples in Canada and across the Globe

Abstract

Abstract Over the last half-century, the rights of Indigenous peoples have been recognized and engraved within international practice and law. Throughout this same period, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not expressed its readiness, or its willingness, to observe such developing ethical and legal principles. Subsequently, through the hosting of the Olympic Games, the IOC continues to move freely throughout the world and onto Indigenous lands. This paper argues that the IOC has legal and moral obligations—as an international organization with far-reaching powers and stated commitments to social responsibility, ethical principles, and the preservation of human dignity—to uphold international practices and laws concerning universal standards for the survival, dignity, well-being, and rights of Indigenous peoples. If the IOC accepts these responsibilities, it may begin to fulfill truthfully its mandate and start to make meaningful contributions to the advancement of the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world.