A/HRC/26/50 33. The Special Rapporteur 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. In addition, sporting events could be used as an opportunity for host States to further promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and to address human rights and the democratic challenges posed by extremist political parties, movements and groups. 34. Referring to one of the fundamental principles of Olympism, that every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play, the Human Rights Council, in its Resolution 13/27, urged States and the relevant international and regional organizations “to intensify the fight against racism in sport”.1 In that context, the Special Rapporteur reiterates the call to sporting authorities and corporate sponsors and recalls their responsibility to anticipate and combat racism in sports in a decisive and exemplary manner. V. Countering Holocaust denial and the distortion of History 35. Holocaust denial is an attempt to negate the established facts of the Nazi genocide of European Jews, Roma, gays and lesbians as well as political opponents. Key denial assertions include that the murder of approximately six 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 extermination camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau never existed. 36. The Special Rapporteur recalls that the Holocaust is one of the well-documented events in recent history. 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 view perpetuates long-standing anti-Semitic prejudices and stereotypes, accusing Jews of conspiracy and world domination and of hateful charges that were instrumental in laying the groundwork for the Holocaust. 37. The Special Rapporteur was informed that allegedly, in one European country, the funeral of a Waffen Schutzstaffel (SS) officer took place with full military honours and the participation of some representatives of the Government. In another country, a celebration marking a Nazi military victory was also reported. The Special Rapporteur believes that such events create dangerous precedents and go against human rights values of tolerance and mutual understanding. Such events are against universally recognized principles of international law and the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations and also contravene the provisions of several United Nations General Assembly resolutions on the issue.2 38. The Special Rapporteur is concerned about information received regarding a comedian and other public personalities in Western Europe who have promoted antiSemitic views in public. The Special Rapporteur is of the opinion that the promotion of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial should not benefit from claims for absolute protection of freedom of speech. 1 2 More recently, on 21 March 2013, Racism and sport was the focus of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/IDERD/Pages/EliminationRacialDiscrimination.aspx (accessed on 17 February 2014). See, for example, the following resolutions adopted by the General Assembly: 65/199, 66/143, 67/154 and 68/150. 9