E/CN.4/2005/18 page 12 D. Racism and sport 29. The Special Rapporteur dealt with the question of racism in sport in his most recent report to the General Assembly (A/59/329), submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 58/160, which called upon him to pay special attention to the increasing frequency of incidents of racism at various sporting events. Although at its fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly noted with appreciation the efforts taken by certain sports bodies to combat racism, it did again express its concern over the increase in racist incidents in sport. The Special Rapporteur shares the General Assembly’s concern and renews his commitment to reporting on racist incidents that take place in the sporting world and the measures taken by sports bodies to deal with them. To that end, he has intensified his contacts with sports bodies in order to promote cooperation and complementarity in efforts to combat racism in sport. 30. Since sport is characterized by the absence of social, racial, and ethnic and religious barriers, it ought to play a dynamic role in the promotion of interculturalism in all societies, based on the principles of equality, solidarity and respect for diversity. The positive role that sport can play in this regard, as a vehicle for the transmission of these values, is emphasized in paragraph 86 of the Durban Programme of Action, which calls upon States to counter ideologies which promote racial hatred and racial discrimination, including by taking “measures to combat the negative influence of such ideologies especially on young people through formal and non-formal education, the media and sport”. It is important to recall that paragraph 218 of the Durban Programme of Action “urges States, in cooperation with intergovernmental organizations, the International Olympic Committee and international and regional sports federations, to intensify the fight against racism in sport by, among other things, educating the youth of the world through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires human understanding, tolerance, fair play and solidarity”. 31. Nevertheless, numerous racist incidents continue to occur in the sporting world; there has even been a resurgence in such incidents. The following are some incidents that were reported by Le Monde newspaper. On 13 November 2004, in Bastia, France, two black players and members of their families were physically and verbally assaulted and subjected to racist abuse as they were leaving the stadium. The Chairman of the Bastia team, scandalised by what had happened, announced that he was going to file a complaint against persons unknown for “racist abuse”. On 17 November, in Madrid, several hundred Spanish supporters hurled racist abuse at black players in the England team, which was playing a friendly match against Spain. The spokesperson for the Spanish Prime Minister and the British Prime Minister expressed strong condemnation of what had occurred. In October, racist, anti-black songs were heard during a Champions League match being played in Athens between Panathinaikos and Arsenal. 32. In view of the gravity of these racist acts and the coverage that they were given in the media, their condemnation and the adoption of measures against those responsible for them are not, in the Special Rapporteur’s view, decisive enough, nor do they reflect the seriousness of the situation. The escalation of racism in sport is also seen in the increasing frequency of incidents for which the coaches of famous teams bear personal responsibility. In April 2004, Ron Atkinson, the well-known English consultant and trainer of the Aston Villa team, was forced to resign from the Independent Television Company after his words describing Marcel Desailly, a French player of Ghanaian origin, as a “fucking lazy thick nigger” were