Motion for a resolution | Doc. 14491 | 25 January 2018

Defend human rights and the rule of law in the context of international football events

Signatories: Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL ; Ms Gökay AKBULUT, Germany, UEL ; Ms Hannah BARDELL, United Kingdom, NR ; Mr Ľuboš BLAHA, Slovak Republic, SOC ; Mr Michel BRANDT, Germany, UEL ; Ms Rósa Björk BRYNJÓLFSDÓTTIR, Iceland, NR ; Mr Petter EIDE, Norway, UEL ; Ms Miren Edurne GORROTXATEGUI, Spain, UEL ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL ; Mr Josip JURATOVIC, Germany, SOC ; Ms Ioanneta KAVVADIA, Greece, UEL ; Ms Filiz KERESTECİOĞLU DEMİR, Turkey, UEL ; Mr Ertuğrul KÜRKÇÜ, Turkey, UEL ; Mr Marco NICOLINI, San Marino, UEL ; Mr Rasmus NORDQVIST, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Henk OVERBEEK, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Georgios PSYCHOGIOS, Greece, UEL ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Mr Tommy SHEPPARD, United Kingdom, NR ; Mr Søren SØNDERGAARD, Denmark, UEL ; Ms Inna ŞUPAC, Republic of Moldova, UEL ; Ms Feleknas UCA, Turkey, UEL

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Football is the most played, followed and loved of all sports. Nonetheless, this magnificent sport is at the centre of a large number of scandals. Whereas the motion for a resolution on football governance and ethics: business or values (Doc. 14447) tackles the financial excesses of the complex ecosystem surrounding football, there are also problems with the rule of law around international football events.

In the case of the UEFA Championship, cities applying to host games are requested to sign a declaration of commitment that excessively limits human rights of the European Convention on Human Rights, namely the freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly, and local authorities are obliged to enact additional regulations in case UEFA evaluates existing rules as not sufficient to protect its trademark rights. Furthermore the rights of the local gastronomy are restricted.

The Parliamentary Assembly should look into restrictions of fundamental rights and the rule of law in the context of international football events and give its advice on the announced Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretary General of the Council of Europe with FIFA and on the agreements between host countries and cities and UEFA for the European Championships.