A/HRC/62/55 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 61/35 and contains an exploration and analysis of the topic of sport and racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. To inform the report, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Ashwini K.P., issued a call for submissions. 1 The Special Rapporteur extends her sincere gratitude to all respondents. II. Racism and sport 2. The Special Rapporteur builds on the work of a previous mandate holder2 and presents a contemporary analysis. The report responds to the interest of the Human Rights Council and the broader United Nations human rights system in anti-racism, equality, non-discrimination and broader human rights standards in sport. The Special Rapporteur wishes to highlight relevant resolutions of the Human Rights Council, 3 the reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on a world of sport free from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance4 and on the intersection of race and gender discrimination in sport, 5 and the report of the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights on the right to participate in sports.6 3. Sport is not a monolith. It is a vast and multidisciplinary phenomenon that takes place at the personal, local, national, regional and international levels. Sport extends beyond physical competition to embody the geography, history and cultural identities of individuals and communities. As highlighted by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights: sport … does not hold the same importance or value for everyone. For some, practising sports is part of their healthy lifestyle and routine, a way to get in touch with their strengths and limitations. For children, physical education and activity is an essential part of growth, learning about the body’s potential and limitations, enhancing socialization, pushing boundaries and forming character. For some, organized sports are mainly a spectacle, a performance or contest governed by rules, through which they can witness the abilities of others, cheer them on and build a sense of shared pride. For others, it is their work and their life.7 4. Sport is a broad spectrum that can range from a personal hobby to a professional career. Sport is also a multibillion-dollar and growing industry that involves many different roles beyond individuals who participate directly as athletes. Although sports are often celebrated as spaces that promote diversity and inclusion,8 they can also perpetuate racial stereotypes and systemic inequalities. Through entrenched cultural narratives, institutional practices and disproportionate patterns of representation, sports can reinforce racialized prejudice and stereotypes despite their ostensibly inclusive character. III. Manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in sport 5. In the present section, the Special Rapporteur examines how, despite the positive potential of sport to address racial discrimination, multifaceted, often interconnected and harmful manifestations of racism continue. The analysis is applied to the impact of these scourges on all marginalized racial and ethnic groups, including Africans and people of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 See https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2026/call-input-report-racism-and-sports. See A/69/340. Resolutions 54/25 and 60/24. A/HRC/60/69. A/HRC/44/26. A/79/299. Ibid., para. 7. Submissions from Montenegro and from Portugal. GE.26-07112