No Fouls on Human Rights

Abstract

Mega-sporting events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, or the FIFA World Cup, have received increased criticism in recent years for their adverse impacts on human rights. The documented cases and reports of human rights abuses that occur on the context of organizing and staging these events have caused many to question their legitimacy and legality. This article summarizes recent examples of mega-sporting event-related human rights abuses. It analyses the current developments on the side of international sports bodies and other actors within the international community in reaction to the increased awareness of the adverse human rights impacts of these events.