The second edition of the Forum on Sport and Human Rights, organized by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS)will take place on November 30, 2022 in hybrid format (Strasbourg and online).

The central theme of the Forum will be freedom of expression. The event will revolve around four themes:

• Freedom of expression for athletes,
• Freedom of press,
• Gender equality and the media, and
• Fight against hate speech in sport.

Four thematic sessions will be followed by four small group workshops, which will allow participants to discuss the issues in more detail.

Representatives from governments, the sports movement and NGOs, as well as academics, journalists, athletes and experts will present the situation in their areas of expertise, discuss recurring challenges and share ideas and solutions to advance the things.

Attendance is by invitation only, but members of the public are welcome to watch the morning sessions (9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) via the webstream link that will be provided soon.

Freedom of expression is set out in Article 10 of the European convention of human rights:

“1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right includes the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article does not prevent States from requiring the licensing of radio, television or film undertakings.

2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it entails duties and responsibilities, may be subject to formalities, conditions, restrictions or sanctions provided for by law and necessary in a democratic society, in the interest of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, to prevent the disclosure of information received confidentially or to maintain the authority and impartiality of justice.)”