Organizational Implications of a Declaration of

Human Rights in Sport

Per SvenssonKwame Agyemang

Louisiana State University

2016 Ali Athletes and Social Change Forum

Introduction Sport associated with

promotion and deprivation of human rights (Donnelly, 2008)

Declaration of Human Rights in Sport Sound in Theory, but what

about in Practice?

Organizational Perspective can inform development and implementation of a more meaningful policy document

Levels of Threats to Athletes

Athlete

Individual

Relational

Organizational

Source: Mountjoy et al., 2015

Themes of Human Rights• Participation, Association, Expression, OrganizingFreedom

• From Violence and DiscriminationProtection• Due Process and Inclusive Access to Facilities + OpportunitiesAccess

• Solidarity and Distributive JusticeEquality• Opportunities for physical, psychological, and social wellbeingAbility

Source: Adams & Piekarz, 2015; UN, n.d.

What do we know about implementations of formalized

rights in sport?

The Curious Case of the Swedish Sport System

The Structure of Swedish Sport

Source: Riksidrottsförbundet, 2012

Swedish Sport Policy In 2009, a children’s rights perspective

was included in Swedish Sport Policy based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Eliasson (2015) explored the lived realities of actors at the grassroots level during 2011 and 2012.

Formalized vs. Actual Rights and Realities Neither children or coaches in Swedish sport clubs

were aware of SSC’s incorporation of Children’s Rights in Swedish sport policy

Findings also indicated lack of knowledge of the UNCRC

Interviewees did not find policy document meaningful since they had not experienced any deliberate work regarding children’s rights in their respective sport clubs

Source: Eliasson, 2015

Sport Clubs as Policy Implementers? Dangerous to assume sport clubs are

“ready, willing, and able” to act as policy implementers (p. 2).

Empirical findings indicate considerable differences depending on the identity of an organization Heterogeneity creates challenge in terms

of policy-practice alignmentSource: Stenling and Fahlén, 2014

Lessons Learned from Child Protection in Sport Efforts?

Child Protection in Sport Efforts Lack of awareness and knowledge ->

uneducated assumptions among many grassroots leaders

Access to information perceived as complex and too difficult for sport club personnel

Unwillingness to challenge assumptions point to need (yet difficulty) for cultural change within sport community

Source: Brackenridge, 2002

Child Protection in Sport Efforts Need for vertical and horizontal policy alignment

across sport governing bodies

Cascade training system could provide a valuable implementation strategy

Considerable need for training and guidance for more efficient management

Policy should be based on empirical research rather than in reactive response to demands for action

Source: Brackenridge, 2002; Fransson, 2009; Rhind et al., 2015

Additional Sport Policy Considerations Volunteers may interpret and adapt policies through

the lens of local perspectives (Skille, 2008)

Important to avoid policy assumptions of fixed realities and instead embrace the flexibility of the real world (Donaldson, Legget, & Finch, 2011; Kokko, Kannas, & Villberg, 2009; Nichols & James, 2008)

Similar examples found in Sport-for-Development with discrepancies between policy discourses and local practices (e.g., Hasselgård & Straume, 2015)

Voices from the Field Grassroots leaders have expressed the need for volunteer-

driven nature of sport to be incorporated in sport policy (Donalson et al., 2011)

Considerable ambiguity in operationalization of youth sport harassment policies (Donnelly, Kerr, Heron, & DiCarlo, 2016)

Specific policy recommendations include: Flexibility for overcoming contextual challenges Simplify and define terminology Provide details on mechanisms for supporting implementation Consider incremental implementation process

What about the ‘universality’ of human rights?

Foreseeable concerns among sport organizations in different across different contexts

Universality of Human Rights

Does a declaration of human rights imply or reinforce Western ideals? Concerns raised by several post-colonialist theorists

regarding Human Rights Declarations

Yet, the Universal Declaration must remain the foundation of any Human Rights discussion (Giulianotti, 2004)

Others argue for ‘relative’ universality of human rights allowing for regional and cultural diversity (Donnelly, 2007)

Universality of Human Rights

Achieving universal acceptance of norms is a process

Acceptance must come from within a given region for sustainability

This does not mean the creation of regional human rights

Instead, the use of regional supervision of compliance with the international standards

Source: Cerna, 1994

What is required for successful implementation of a Declaration

of Human Rights in Sport?

Pillars of Successful Implementation

• Domestically and InternationallyCultural Sensitivity• Co-ordination across Sport Eco-SystemHolistic• Provide value for volunteer

leaders/orgs.Incentives• Clear and coherent coordinationLeadership• Openness to local realitiesDynamic• Specify what will be providedResources• Inclusive and active decision-makingEngaging

Stakeholders• Allow for collective impactNetworks

Source: International Safeguarding Children in Sport Working Group, 2011; Mountjoy et al., 2015

Youth Perspectives Lessons learned from Youth at the UN

Conference on ‘Reaffirming Human Rights for All’: Imperative to make human rights

relatable through personalized stories Education is crucial, yet many states do

not want people to learn about their rights NGOs serve important roles to overcome

this barrier in local communities

Source: Kuriansky, 2009

Athlete-Centered Approach? Most sport organizations are driven by

member participants so why not utilize this resource?

An athlete-centered approach would require stakeholders to ask themselves, what a given action be in the best interest of the rights of the athlete? Participants’ rights would guide nature and

delivery of sport programsSource: Fransson, 2009

Moving Forward

Human Rights

in Sport

Normalize what human rights

norms are desirable in sport

Analyze actual situation and

develop appropriate strategies needed for

change

Source: Martelaer, Knop, Theebom, & Heddegem, 2000

Continuing the Conversation