Feature: Sport and Human Rights
No.48
September 2006
 
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Introduction
Eli A. Wolff & Mary A. Hums

 

It has been a great pleasure to organize and develop this special issue on “Sport and Human Rights.” Thank you to ICSSPE for this unique opportunity. We hope the assembled collection of articles, profiles and quotes will further contribute to this important arena of research and activism, at a time in the world when this is increasingly important. Understanding the connection between sport and human rights is essential in our evolving and changing sporting community and society as a whole. As a vehicle to transform and unite, sport is a place for all people to learn, grow, share and communicate. In essence, sport is a place to become more fully human.
We organized the research contributions within several categories. Donnelly and Kidd provide us with an introduction to human rights in and through sport. DaCosta, Abreu and Miragaya, and Hums and Wolff focus on the connections among Olympism, the Olympic Movement and human rights. The articles by Oglesby, Corbett and Roy address specific groups of individuals. Spiegel and Gilbert present challenges to the linkages between sport and human rights. Keller, Ayub and McArdle provide practical case-study examples expressing human rights in and through sport. In conclusion, Kaufman presents a discussion on athlete activists. We would like to thank all of the authors for their excellent work and contributions to the field of sport and human rights.
This special issue highlights profiles of examples of organizational activities and initiatives in the arena of sport and human rights. These profiles are presented in connection with the thematic areas of the research contributions. We would like to thank Paulo David and Routledge Publishers; Lorna Read and Right to Play; Alison Qualter-Berna and UNICEF; Rob Jagnow and the Gay and Lesbian Athletics Federation; Claudine Sherrill, Shayke Hutzler and IFAPA; Amy Farkas and the International Paralympic Committee; Richard Leonard and UN-Sport; Maria Bobenrieth and Nike; Peter Roby and the Center for the Study of Sport in Society; and Ken Noel and the Olympic Project for Human Rights for their contributions. These profiles provide examples of how organizations can choose to incorporate human rights into their operations.
Finally, we included special and unique voices to provide statements and quotes regarding sport and human rights. These quotes personalize the arena of sport and human rights. We are so grateful for the contributions provided by Muhammed Ali and the Ali Center, Johann Olav Koss, Dr. Richard Lapchick, Cheri Blauwet and Anita DeFrantz. We would also like to thank Thierry Henry for the opportunity to re-print his quote.
We do hope you enjoy and engage with this special issue on Sport and Human Rights. We would like to also thank you, the reader, for your interest and commitment to promoting human rights in and through sport.





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