Joint Statement on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination in Sport – A Publication by United Nations Human Rights Experts (Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council)

By Mwanakombo Hassan

Moving The Goalposts (MTG) believes in equity and fairness in sport. Fairness in sport must mean inclusion, dignity, and non-discrimination no blanket exclusions, no coercive testing, and decisions grounded in evidence and human rights.

For over two decades, MTG has worked at the grassroots level to ensure that girls and young women, especially those from marginalized and underserved communities, have safe, equal, and meaningful access to sport. Through community football leagues, leadership development programs, advocacy initiatives, and policy engagement, MTG actively challenges barriers that prevent girls from participating fully in sport. Our work promotes bodily autonomy, dignity, equal opportunity, and the right of every girl to participate without discrimination.

On 25 February 2026, United Nations human rights experts issued a Joint Statement raising serious concerns about recent developments in international sport governance. The statement addresses the increasing use of mandatory genetic sex testing, rigid biological eligibility criteria, and opaque decision-making processes in determining participation in women’s sport.

The experts emphasize that international sport must be regulated in line with international human rights law & principles such as equality, non-discrimination, dignity, privacy, bodily integrity, and access to an effective remedy which will apply not only to States but also to international sporting bodies whose policies directly affect athletes.

The statement references the International Olympic Committee’s 2021 Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination as an important normative guide. The Framework calls for sport-specific, evidence-based, proportionate, and transparent approaches to eligibility rather than blanket bans or categorical assumptions of advantage.

The experts call on States, the International Olympic Committee, and international sporting federations to ensure that eligibility rules are developed through transparent, participatory processes and remain aligned with evolving human rights standards.

And warn that;

• Blanket bans on transgender women in women’s sport raise serious human rights concerns.
• Mandatory genetic sex testing risks violating privacy, bodily integrity, and informed consent.
• Opaque decision-making processes undermine legitimacy and trust.
• Scientific uncertainty cannot justify coercive or exclusionary policies.

At MTG, we translate these principles into practice by advocating for inclusive sport policies at local and national levels, providing empowering settings for girls to lead and compete and strengthening community awareness on rights-based approaches to sport governance. We believe that inclusion and human rights are not in opposition to fairness. They are its foundation.

Read the full UN Joint Statement here: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/discrimination/260225-joint-statement-on-fairness-inclusion-and-non-discrimination-in-sport.pdf