A/HRC/29/47 that preventative measures be taken to avoid acts of racial violence, xenophobia, abuse and incitement to racial hatred by extremist individuals. 26. Nonetheless, the Special Rapporteur is encouraged by information received regarding measures taken by some States to counter racism and extremism in sports. One example is a conference organized by an Eastern European sports association in partnership with a local non-governmental organization, using the positive values of sports to counter racism and stereotyping. 27. Referring again to his previous report (A/HRC/26/50), the Special Rapporteur reiterates that States are bound by the obligations set forth in international human rights instruments such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. He recalls the requirements set out in Human Rights Council resolution 13/27, urging States and the relevant international and regional organizations to intensify the fight against racism in sport. He also encourages national and international sports organizations and federations to develop and implement codes of conduct that address the issue of extremist ideologies and intolerance among supporters, and urges States to seize the opportunity to use sporting events as a vehicle to promote respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. V. Countering Holocaust denial and the distortion of history3 28. Holocaust denial is an attempt to negate the established facts of the Nazi genocide of European Jews, Roma, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons as well as political opponents. Some key denial assertions are that the murder of approximately 6 million Jews during the Second World War never occurred, that the Nazis had no official policy or intention to exterminate the Jews and that the concentration camps such as AuschwitzBirkenau never existed nor served that purpose. 29. Holocaust denial and distortion are generally motivated by strong anti-Semitism, and build on the claim that the Holocaust was invented or exaggerated as part of a plot to advance Jewish interests. That is a view that perpetuates long-standing anti-Semitic prejudices and stereotypes and the Special Rapporteur recalls that the Holocaust is one of the tragic events of the past century that has been well documented. The Special Rapporteur is particularly concerned about allegations regarding a cartoon competition disdaining the Holocaust and insulting the victims and remaining survivors of that tragedy. 30. The Special Rapporteur reiterates his condemnation of attempts by extreme rightwing groups to deny the Holocaust and falsify history. Such revisions contribute to the rehabilitation and dissemination of Nazism and other extreme ideologies and create fertile ground for nationalist and neo-Nazi demonstrations. The Special Rapporteur is concerned about reports of university professors explicitly denying the existence of the Holocaust in a public academic setting in an Eastern European country, which received applause from the audience. The Special Rapporteur reminds all stakeholders that such events set dangerous precedents, do not promote values of tolerance and mutual understanding and run counter to provisions of several General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions on the matter.4 31. The Special Rapporteur recalls the importance of criminalizing the approval, denial or belittlement of the Holocaust in national law, especially considering that such a denial 3 4 The Special Rapporteur addressed the issue of Holocaust denial and the distortion of history in 2014, in his reports to the General Assembly (A/69/334) and the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/26/50). See, for example, General Assembly resolutions 65/199, 66/143, 67/154 and 68/150. 9