Thank you Mr. President,

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the Special Rapporteur for her comprehensive report on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in sport. 

We welcome the report’s emphasis on human rights-based and intersectional approaches to combating racism in sport and recognize the concerns raised regarding unequal access to sport, underrepresentation in sports governance, and racist incidents both offline and online. We remain committed to promoting inclusion, equal opportunities and non-discrimination in sport, in line with our broader efforts to advance equality and social cohesion.

Sport has the power to bring people together, foster mutual understanding and strengthen social cohesion. At the same time, as highlighted in the report, sport can also reflect and reproduce wider societal inequalities. It is therefore essential that governments, sports organisations and other stakeholders work together to ensure that sport is safe, accessible and inclusive for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender or other status.

Special Rapporteur, 

What examples of effective cooperation between governments, sports federations and civil society have you identified that could be replicated more broadly to combat racism and promote inclusion in sport?

Thank you.