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Red-Carding Racism Declaration and Programme of Action’ Adopted at the end of the Colloquium

PREAMBLE:

The Colloquium on Racism in Sport held as part of the World Conference Against Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances noted, with deep concern that:

1. Racism in sport is still prevalent in South Africa (and the world) despite the country declaring all forms of racism, related intolerances and racial discrimination illegal.

2. Despite sport codes being unified under single National Federations with non-racial and non-sexist constitutions, racial and gender discrimination and discrimination against people with a disability is still widely prevalent in sport.

3. Merit selection of teams is often dubiously used to exclude disadvantaged individuals from being selected into elite teams.

• Racism and related intolerances will continue to prevail for some time in society as a result of South Africa’s discriminatory past and

• Sport is a reflection of society but has the ability to transcend all racial and other intolerances.

NOW THEREFORE RESOLVE TO:

1. Promote the recognition that the empowerment of women is an essential component of a proactive strategy to fight racism, racial discrimination and other forms of related intolerances, and to take measures to empower women who are subject to multiple discrimination, to fully exercise their rights in all spheres of life and play an active role in the design and implementation of policies that affect their lives.

2. Actively confront and condemn racism and discrimination in all its manifestations, wherever and whenever it occurs by:

• Urging all individuals, sports clubs and sports bodies, directly or indirectly concerned with sport at all levels, to denounce and institute punitive sanctions against all individuals, sports clubs or sports bodies indulging in racism and other intolerances of any form.

• Requiring all National Federations and their Affiliates, to actively set up clubs and infrastructure in disadvantaged communities, particularly in those communities where these have collapsed after unity.

• Requiring all National Federations and Affiliates to provide opportunities and visible access to all, irrespective of financial ability, gender or disability, and to set targets for the selection of national and provincial teams to reflect the demography of the country, in order to ensure both quality and universality. Moreover, these structures should actively de-institutionalise discriminatory practices in all its forms in a systematic manner.

3. To urge Government (Minister of Sport and Recreation; the South African Sports Commission and Sport and Recreation South Africa) to introduce rules and regulations that will encourage inclusivity and universality and monitor progress by National Federations and their Affiliates in this regard. This could include:

• Creating institutions for recourse where racism and other forms of related discrimination have been identified.

• Translating the International Olympic Committee’s policy on quality and universality in olympic qualifications to reflect South African needs and aspirations, and require all multi-sports organisations and National Federations registered with the Sports Commission and Sport and Recreation South Africa to adopt such a policy in the selection of National and Provincial teams.

4. Urge media institutions, particularly owners, sports editors, writers and commentators to strongly condemn all acts and utterances of a racist and sexist nature.

• To refrain from, discourage and act against any form of journalism that fuels division, behaviour and perceptions.

• To discourage stereo-typing in sports’ achievements and myths of regional and physical proto-typing.

• To request the Minister of Sport and Recreation to set up a forum with media representatives aimed at initiating deliberations on promoting changes in sport and related matters and to initiate similar deliberations with sponsors.

5. To promote a social movement in sport including supporters against racism and other intolerances.

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