Remarks by Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Dear friends,

It is a great pleasure to join you for this very timely and important round table. So, why do we need integrity in sport? 

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?

In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he or she lives in; the school or college he attends; the sports club he belongs to – if I may add; and the factory, farm or office where he or she works. 

Such are the places every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have a meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.

Without concerted action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”

These are not my words, but Eleanor Roosevelt’s words, quite a number of years ago, during a debate in the UN General Assembly in New York.

For me, they describe in a perfect way the mission of the Council of Europe, and also why we need to combat the backsliding of democracy – and more relevant to the roundtable today: Why we need integrity in sport. 

First and foremost, because human rights, the respect for the rule of law and democracy, should embrace us – be respected, upheld and promoted in every aspect of our lives, including in sports.

The European Sports Charter, prepared by EPAS and adopted by the Committee of Ministers two years ago, makes this quite clear. It states that sports integrity includes personal integrity – On the part of everyone involved in sports.

Competitive integrity –

To ensure fair play –

And organisational integrity –

With good governance and sports organisations leading by example. This is the way to ensure sports’ credibility, and popularity, now and in the years to come. The European Sports Charter also builds on years of work and a range of tools that we – together – in the Council of Europe have developed.

Above all, these include the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights – Which are binding on all 46 of our member states.

Also the specific sports treaties, that we all are so familiar with – such as our Anti-doping Convention. – The Macolin Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions – And the Saint-Denis Convention on an integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events.

But what we do in sports goes far beyond the remits of our sports conventions, it involves other tools that help us uphold and strengthen the democracies we live in. That’s why there is an important role for GRECO – the Group of States Against Corruption; ECRI – the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance; and other key conventions addressing the main human rights challenges we are facing in Europe today, such as the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence Against Women and the Lanzarote Convention against the Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse of Children.

And, finally, we have a platform where governments, sports organisations and civil society can discuss, exchange and take new and important initiatives.

EPAS does much good guiding governments and sports organisations so that our values are embedded in their policies, structures, rules and behaviour – at every level, from grassroots to elite competition.

I believe it is fair to say that no other continent has done more to ensure that fairness and integrity are so deeply rooted in sports.

But the European Sports Charter goes further still, when it states plainly that the pursuit of integrity in sport requires the commitment of all stakeholders –you and me – of everyone.

And at last year’s Sports Ministerial Conference in Türkiye, Ministers acknowledged the work that EPAS has done – As well as urging it to mobilise all key stakeholders to address the remaining and emerging challenges in sport.

Let me just mention a couple of them.

The most up-to-date figures from the Database on Alleged Cases of Corruption in Sports, has found that hundreds of cases of corruption continue to be reported in the media each year, regarding betting, match-fixing, anti-doping and so on.

Another example:

A 2021 study on Child Abuse in Sport – the CASES study – of six European countries, found that among 18 – 30-year-olds, 65% had suffered as children from psychological violence in sports – and 44% had experienced physical violence.

No parent should ever have to hesitate when thinking about whether to register their child at a sports club – And no child should feel the pain and suffering that come with violence and abuse, or for that sake sexual exploitation, when they should be doing something that should bring only happiness, joy and personal development.

And in a recent study published last week in Norway on elite women footballers, one out of six said that they had experienced sexual harassment – to a large degree committed by coaches, assistants and trainers.

So, there are certainly gaps in the integrity of sports. What then should be done to address this problem? Again, we are starting from a strong base.

But governments need to do more. Sports organisations need to do more. We all need to do more.

EPAS must continue its inclusive coordination with public administrations, sports organisations and civil society – We also should do more to persuade European governments – and governments outside Europe – to ratify the Council of Europe’s sport-related conventions – as well as other related conventions safeguarding fundamental human rights – such as the Istanbul and Lanzarote Conventions.

With this, we will also enlarge the community of Parties and membership of monitoring bodies, and hopefully of EPAS as well – And do more to embed their rules and our values in public policy – ever wider, and ever deeper.

The Memoranda of Understanding with partner organisations, such as WADA, UEFA and FIFA define common objectives and tools for our joint fight against corruption in sports, among other priorities.

The organisation of major sports events like UEFA EURO 2024 should be yet another opportunity to step up our efforts.

I also very much welcome the recent strong commitment by UEFA that the Saint Denis Convention should be the main reference for international championships.

And of course we have IPACS – our International Partnership against Corruption – which works to ensure financial honesty in sport and to maintain the rule of law against economic crime. The Council of Europe believes in this partnership, and we rely on it. We rely on governments, civil society, friends, networks of experts and partners in everything we do. I am pleased that it is ably represented here by the organisation currently chairing IPACS, the International Olympic Committee – Whose own contribution is vitally important.

But today, EPAS has an opportunity to go further still.

The Declaration on Sport Integrity that you will examine after this round table, embodies the spirit of the European Sports Charter – That all stakeholders should play their role in upholding integrity in every aspect of sport. One of the most important proposals, I believe, is that EPAS should explore the use of a legal framework to bring the judiciary into our circle of those protecting sport integrity.

For me, this makes sense.

Overall, sports need a stronger human rights dimension. That’s why we have elaborated a new four year strategy on sports, that is human rights centered and values driven.

The fact that the Declaration calls for enhanced co-operation to combat cross-border crime linked to sports only adds to the urgency of the case – And the International Network of Magistrates and Prosecutors that EPAS is forming seems to me an important contribution to it.

Dear friends,

The adoption of the Declaration is of course a decision for EPAS to take. But I have no doubt that its ambitious approach could be helpful. Last, but not least, the final point in the Declaration is bold in its language, and rightly so. It calls on member states to work together with “sports organisations, athletes, civil society, and corporate and professional sectors”.

How are we going to reach out to all these important groups in an effective way?

How can we really ensure that all stakeholders work together to provide an integrated approach to upholding integrity and resolving the problems that remain all too clear?

I am sure that this round table will reflect upon various national and international experience, learn from them and share best practices.

I look forward to hearing the outcomes of today’s discussions.

Thank you for your attention.