E/CN.4/2005/18 page 17 racist, xenophobic or neo-Nazi leanings should be banned. When parties are banned for these reasons, as in the case of the Vlaams Block in Belgium, States are invited to ensure that any transformation which they undergo is not merely a cosmetic exercise and that a new ban is not required; (e) The Commission should alert the member States to the way that racism and discrimination can enter the mainstream when racist and xenophobic political platforms find their way, for electoral reasons, into the agendas of democratic parties, under the guise of defending the “national identity”, combating illegal immigration or defending “national preference”, in a context of economic recession, the fight against terrorism and defence of national security; (f) The member States are invited to demonstrate greater commitment to fighting racism in sport, by adopting preventive, educational and awareness-raising measures and condemning the perpetrators of racist incidents, in cooperation with national and international sports organizations. The Special Rapporteur furthermore considers that, in view of the gravity of the phenomenon of racism in sport, the United Nations and international sports bodies need to work together more closely. With regard to football, the Special Rapporteur therefore proposes, at the initiative of FIFA, that a highly significant and symbolic event could be organized in conjunction with the United Nations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the occasion of the 2006 World Cup in Germany; (g) The Special Rapporteur invites international sports organizations to take tough measures against the perpetrators of racist incidents. Whenever the perpetrators of such incidents are managers of teams or sports bodies, the measures should be especially severe so as to set an example. The Special Rapporteur also believes that international sports bodies should focus on the national dimension of the fight against racism, by asking national federations to submit annual reports on racist incidents and the action taken in response to them; (h) The Special Rapporteur invites civil society to become more involved in the fight against racism in sport through projects designed to improve knowledge and appreciation of others and their culture. Notes 1 Samuel P. Huntington, Qui sommes-nous? Identité nationale et choc des cultures, Paris, Odile Jacob, novembre 2004, 400 pages. 2 Pour une description complète de cette visite, voir la section III “Coopération régionale”. -----