Sport is all about participation. It has the power of bringing together individuals, communities and countries, often bridging cultural, ethnic and national divides. But as COVID-19 has ravaged through our world, it has taken a heavy toll on both professional and recreational sports.
As the pandemic hit, many sporting events were postponed or cancelled to protect athletes and audiences alike. It was only months into the crisis that players were able to return to arenas, thanks to much innovation and collaboration. In most cases, fans were still absent, and the come-back had varying consequences for the athletes and their families.
¡°The world of sport was among those sectors most visibly affected -- hard and early,¡± Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres said in a new advocacy brief, ¡®¡¯, launched by the United Nations on 15 December.
Co-led by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ DESA and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Women, the new brief was collaboratively drafted by sport focal points in a large number of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ entities including the World Health Organization, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office for Drugs and Crime, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, International Labour Organization, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Children¡¯s Fund, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Climate Change, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Environment Programme and the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office of Counter-Terrorism.
The brief sets out a vision to support the reopening, recovery and resilience of sport, calling for team spirit among nations, organizations and social groups to achieve the global goals. It also presents critical actions to be addressed across four key areas ¨C promoting human rights and combatting discrimination; ensuring equal access to sport and physical activity; safeguarding participants; and ensuring integrity in sport.
¡°Already a pioneer and promoter of inclusive and sustainable development in an unstable and unequal world, the sporting world must now redefine and redesign itself, not only to improve its resilience to future shocks, but to broaden its contribution to the world¡¯s efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals,¡± Mr. Guterres said.
Learn more about the role of sports for peace and development in the new brief ¡®Recovering Better: Sport for Development and Peace Reopening, Recovery and Resilience Post-COVID-19¡¯.
