Side Event on Equality in Sports

The Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations Office in Geneva along with the Permanent Missions of the United States, Brazil, Gabon, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea, have organized a side event on Equality in Sports on Monday the 16th of June, in the margins of the 26th Session of the Human Rights Council. This event has brought together athletes, including Olympic and Paralympic Champions and high ranking officials from UEFA and the International Olympic Committee, from all five continents. The list of speakers included :

Dr Sam Ramsamy, South Africa, International Olympic Committee,  member for the past eight years of the IOC’s Executive Board and currently Vice-President of the International Swimming Federation. He led the first non-racial South African team to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Mr Theodore Theodoridis, Greece, Deputy Secretary General of UEFA, 

Mr. William Gaillard, France, Advisor to the President UEFA,

Mr Dimitris Mouyios, Greece, Silver Medalist in Rowing (Lightweight double Sculls), Beijing 2008 Olympic Games  Silver Medalist in 2007 World Championship in Munich and twice European Champion in 2007 and 2008.

Ms Sunghee Park, Republic of Korea, Phd in Sports Psychology. professional tennis player, member of the Korean National Team in Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympics. Mrs Park has participated in all grand slam tennis tournaments (Wimbledon, Roland Garros,  US and Australian Open), including reaching round of 16 and ranked no 38 in double tennis world ranking.

Mr Duane Kale, New Zealand, paralympic swimmer, four Gold Medals along with a silver and a bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics. He was also the Chef de Mission of the New Zealand Paralympic Team at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Summer Paralympics. 

Mr Stevy Worah Ozimo, Gabon, professional basketball player. Mr Ozimo has performed at the highest level in the United States as well as overseas. He has also been a distinguished member of the national team of Gabon. Mr Ozimo is also Chief Executive Officer of Stevy Worah Ozimo Youthsports Academy in New York and he is been working a lot with disadvantaged children.

Mr. Brian Kitts, United States, a sports and entertainment marketing executive in Denver Colorado.. Mr Kitts is the co-founder of You Can Play project which works with athletes and fans at all levels of sport to challenge homophobia in locker rooms and sport venues. You Can Play is being promoted by more than 100 universities and by every major sport league in North America.

The UN High Commissioner Mrs Navi Pillay and the President of the Human Rights Council Permanent Representative of Gabon HE Ambassador Baudelaire Ndong Ella honoured the event with their presence.  The Permanent Representative of Brazil HE Ambassador Regina Maria Cordeiro Dunlop, has moderated the event.

Participants had the opportunity to discuss in a very open and interactive manner with the audience many aspects of discrimination in sports particularly on the basis of gender, race, disabilities and sexual orientation based also on their own personal experiences.

Invitation

Side Event on Equality in Sports
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