27th of June 2014. Europride - Oslo. Presentation by Håvard B. Øvregård Adviser, work against discrimination and harassment. The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports

1. With sports
against homophobia
From Vision to Action - Making Rights a Reality
Europride Human Rights Conference 2014
Oslo City Hall, Norway, June 26-27th 2014
Håvard B. Øvregård
Adviser, The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic
Committee and Confederation of Sports 1

2. Vision for Norwegian Sport:
Joy of Sport
– for All

3. Zero tolerance
• For discrimination / harassment / abuse
– Bullying
– Homophobia
– Sexual harassment
• Why?
Joy of Sport – for All

4. The Olympic Charter
“Any form of discrimination with regard to a
country or a person on grounds of race,
religion, politics, gender or otherwise is
incompatible with belonging to the Olympic
Movement.”
The 6th
Fundamental Principle of Olympism
http://www.olympic.org/Documents/olympic_charter_en.pdf (page 12)
4

5. 5
With Sport
Against Homophobia
- a project for increased diversity and equality (2007-2010)
Aim:
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) feel at
home as athletes, coaches, referees and fans.
Arena:
Organised sport.
Why:
Joy of Sport - for All Norges idrettsforbund og olympiske og paralympiske komité

6. 6
Sport Policy Document 2007 – 2011
1.6 Tolerance and equality
Aim:
Foster tolerance, understanding and recognition for equality in order to
avoid discrimination and harassment.
Strategy:
• There shall be zero-tolerance for discrimination and harassment
regardless gender, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, and
disability.
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual are – differing from many other minorities –
an invisible group. It is therefore an extra challenge to contribute to
dissemination of knowledge and information in order for this group
to be fully accepted within Sports.
Responsibility:
All organisational entities.
http://www.idrett.no/t2.aspx?p=66791

7. 7
Sport Policy Document 2007 – 2011
1.6 Tolerance and equality
Aim:
Foster tolerance, understanding and recognition for equality in order to
avoid discrimination and harassment.
Strategy:
• There shall be zero-tolerance for discrimination and harassment
regardless gender, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, and
disability.
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual are – differing from many other minorities
– an invisible group. It is therefore an extra challenge to contribute
to dissemination of knowledge and information in order for this
group to be fully accepted within Sports.
Responsibility:
All organisational entities.
http://www.idrett.no/t2.aspx?p=66791

8. Sport Policy Document 2011 – 2015
2.4. Inclusion
Goal: To increase the participation of underrepresented groups, so
that their participation in sport mirrors the diversity in society, by
•making everyone feel welcome and accepted as members of the
sport clubs
•removing conditions that inhibit the participation of certain groups
•enforcing the principle of zero tolerance of discrimination and
harassment regardless of gender, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation,
and disability

9. Sport Policy Document 2011 – 2015
2.4. Inclusion
Goal: To increase the participation of underrepresented groups, so
that their participation in sport mirrors the diversity in society, by
•making everyone feel welcome and accepted as members of the
sport clubs
•removing conditions that inhibit the participation of certain groups
•enforcing the principle of zero tolerance of discrimination and
harassment regardless of gender, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation,
and disability

10. 2011: Revision of the
“aim”-paragraph in the law
§ 1-2 Aim (NIFs law)
1)NIF shall work for the opportunity for all people to
practise sport according to one’s own wish and need, and
without being discriminated on the basis of religion,
sexual orientation or ethnic origin. […]
http://www.lovdata.no/nif/nifloven.html#1-2

11. How to change attitudes?
• “Haldningsskapande” (Creating attitude)
– Can you create good attitudes?
• “Haldningsutfordrande” (Challenging attitude)
– We can challenge, in order for each one to
reconsider one’s own attitudes
• Challenge through
– Knowledge
– Perspective
– Responsibility

12. Knowledge
12

13. Challenges for young
gay/lesbian?
• Most gay and lesbian live a good life
• But many face challenges:
– Suicide
– Violence
– Bullying
– Slur / terms of abuse
13

14. ”Homo” (gay)
as slur / term of abuse
• ”Homo” (gay) is the most frequent term of
abuse amongst youth (boys) in Norway
(Røhnebek m.fl. 2005: Hore eller homo? En rapport om seksualisert trakassering blant ungdom)
14
• Why is this used as term of abuse?
• What does “homo” communicate?
• Are there any connections?
• Suicide – violence – bullying – term of abuse

15. 15
”I meant
nothing,
it’s just a
phrase”

16. Perspective
16

17. 17
Ian
Roberts
• Australian Rugby
• Professional 90-98

18. 18
Matthew
Mitcham
• Australian diver
• Olympic Gold
Medallist 2008

19. Sexual orientation
VS
gender role
19

20. Sexual orientation
VS
gender role
20

21. Sexual orientation vs gender?
• Masculine / feminine sports?
• ”The Lesbian Label”
• Gendered slur
– ”you throw like a girl”

22. Trans* / Intersex
• Sports fear of gender identity/expression
– Example: Caster Semenya
• Gender testing in Olympic Games 68-96
1996: 8 of 3387 – ca 1/400 – ”failed”
1999: Testing stopped

23. Responsibility
23

24. What can the coach do?
24

25. The «coming-out»
25

26. 26
”Østlendingen”
(Norwegian local
newspaper)
19.Sept. 2008
www.ostlendingen.no/article/2

27. ”Coming-out”
”Wednesday he told all his team-mates about his sexual orientation.
– I have never been so nervous in all my life, says the 20-year old. ”
• Fear for the ”worst-case-scenario”
• How can we reduce this fear?
• Clear message in advance
27

28. • Clear message at first session with a
team/group.
• Example:
– ”in this club/team we have zero-tolerance for
discrimination and harassment. Black or white,
gay or straight, everybody shall feel at home.”
28

29. Zero-tolerance of
homophobic language
• When you hear a word like ”gay”, ”faggot”,
”lesbian”, ”dyke”, etc.
– React immediately
– Ask: ”What did you mean by that?”
– State that homophobic language is not accepted
in the sport club or in sport club related activities
29

30. You can not
be neutral

31. The Olympic Charter
“Any form of discrimination with regard to a
country or a person on grounds of race,
religion, politics, gender or otherwise is
incompatible with belonging to the Olympic
Movement.”
The 6th
Fundamental Principle of Olympism
http://www.olympic.org/Documents/olympic_charter_en.pdf
31

32. • Anita DeFrantz, Chair of IOC Women
Commission, adressing the UN Commissjon on
the Status of Women, March 2013:
“the practice of sport is a human right that
cannot be denied on the basis of gender, race
or sexual orientation”
http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Olympism_in_action/Women_and_sport/Anita_DeFrantz_speech_UN_Women_March%202013
32

33. IOC: July 31st
2013
“The International Olympic Committee is clear that
sport is a human right and should be available to all
regardless of race, sex or sexual orientation. The
Games themselves should be open to all, free of
discrimination, and that applies to spectators, officials,
media and of course athletes. We would oppose in the
strongest terms any move that would jeopardise this
principle.”
http://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-statement-on-recent-russian-
legislation/206969
33

34. IOC President Thomas Bach, 12/6-14
6th IWG World Conference on Women and Sport, Helsinki
“Our central belief written into our Charter is that
sport should be available to all, regardless of gender,
race, ethnicity or any other form of discrimination,
including sexual orientation. […] As a sports
organisation we cannot force countries to change their
legislation but what we can do is give an example to
the world that a society based on these core beliefs is
possible and does even work better. ”
http://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-president-calls-for-sport-free-from-discrimination-at-6th-iwg-world-conference-on-women-and-spo
http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Olympism_in_action/Women_and_sport/Thomas_Bach_IWG_Opening_Ceremony_speech_12_J
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STutjRWD1u8
34

35. IOC and homophobia
• 2007: Policy on homophobia (Part of “Consensus
statement on sexual harassment and abuse in sport”)
• “Homophobia is a form of prejudice and discrimination
ranging from passive resentment to active victimisation
of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.”
– http://www.olympic.org/content/news/media-resources/manual-news/1999-2009/2007/02/08/ioc-
adopts-consensus-statement-on-sexual-harassment-and-abuse-in-sport/
• IOC webpage on homophobia
– http://www.olympic.org/sha?tab=homophobia
• Interactive web-tool: http://sha.olympic.org
35

36. http://sha.olympic.org
«Personal stories»: 2 gay / 1 trans
(French/English/German/Russian)

37. What has Sport in
Norway done?
37

38. Tackling homophobia
systematically
• Presentations
– “obligatory”
– Multisport arenas
– National federations
• Leadership
• National team coaches
– Local clubs
– Schools
• Advising federations
• Media
Checklist:
•Laws
•Regulations
•Handle complaints
•Coach education
•Webpage
•Address the topic
– Leadership
– Staff

39. Magazine
sent to all
12.000
sport
clubs in
Norway

40. Resources
• Magazine (paper and pdf)
– ”Med idretten mot homohets”
(“With Sports Against Homophobia”)
• Will be made available in english
http://www.idrett.no/tema/mothomohets/Sider/BladetMedidrettenmothomohets.aspx
• A short summary of the project (english):
• http://www.idrett.no/english/Sider/WithSportsagainsthomopbia.aspx
• http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Olympism_in_action/Sport%20for%20all/previous-editions/2010/13th
%20World%20Sport%20for%20All%20Conference%20Abstracts%20Parallel%20Sessions.pdf (page 44-45)

41. Video
(english)
at our
webpage
http://www.idrett.no/english/Sider/WithSportsagainsthomopbia.aspx

42. 42
Håvard B. Øvregård
Adviser, work against discrimination and harassment
m: +47 91 77 31 57
havard.ovregard@idrettsforbundet.no
www.idrett.no
The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic
Committee and Confederation of Sports