Racism significantly impacts access to sport: Independent expert
Racism Shapes Sports Participation: UN Expert Report
Racism significantly impacts access to sport – A new UN analysis released Thursday underscores how racial bias continues to restrict access to sports, particularly for marginalized communities. The findings highlight persistent barriers such as financial hurdles, movement restrictions on Palestinian athletes, and rules banning Muslim women from wearing hijabs during competitions.
Structural Inequalities in Global Sport
While sports are often seen as a platform for diversity, the report reveals that racial and ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in leadership and elite levels. Governance gaps and unequal access reflect deeper societal inequities, according to the study.
“Persistent stereotypes influence how athletes are identified, trained, and perceived,” stated Ashwini K.P., the UN Human Rights Council-appointed expert on racism and related intolerance. “I am concerned about the underrepresentation of racially marginalized groups, including minorities, caste-oppressed communities, and other racialized populations.”
Recommendations for Equity
K.P. called for Member States to adopt measures like collecting detailed racial data, investing in sports infrastructure, and ensuring fair access. She also urged reforms to eligibility rules that might discriminate and emphasized compliance with international anti-racism conventions.
The report points to geographic and economic factors as key obstacles. Limited access to facilities, coaching, travel, and nutrition can deter young people from engaging in sports, especially those from lower-income households. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, movement restrictions and facility destruction have nearly halted international competition, the report adds.
Discriminatory Rules in Practice
Examples include France’s hijab bans in football and basketball, which conflict with religious expression. The same report notes that World Athletics’ prosthetics and testosterone regulations may disproportionately affect Black athletes and women from the Global South.
“Eligibility rules not aligned with human rights law risk racial discrimination,” the report states. It also highlights that while racialized groups are overrepresented in leadership roles, structural biases like implicit prejudice and data gaps sustain inequities.
Case Studies and Leadership Disparities
A 2023 study in England and Wales found that only 8.1% of male professional cricketers were Asian British or Black British, despite 30-35% of recreational players belonging to ethnically diverse backgrounds. The Hamilton Commission, launched by Formula One’s Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2021, echoed these trends, noting a small proportion of senior leadership roles are held by people of color.
These disparities are rooted in historical colonialism and systemic underdevelopment. The report argues that economic gaps in sports are not neutral, as racial discrimination often perpetuates resource inequalities. Without targeted reforms, lower-income and minority groups may lose long-term access to the health and social benefits of sports participation.