Council of Europe conference: "Fight Against Racism and Violence through Diversity in Sport”"

Last October the Council of Europe organized an international conference devoted to the fight against racism and violence through diversity in sport" in Belgrade, Serbia.

“Tolerance, mutual respect and fair play are at the heart of every sport and must be promoted by all” announced Mrs Snezana Samardzic, Minister of Youth and Sport, Republic of Serbia.

Four ministers and representatives from 24 European countries met together at this conference in search of solutions and remedies to combat this threat.

Organised by the Council of Europe Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS), in co-operation with the Serbian Ministry of Youth and Sport and the European Convention on Spectator Violence, this pan-European conference aims to promote existing Council of Europe standards and develop new strategies and measures to prevent violence and racism in sport, but also to strengthen education policies and foster co-operation between all authorities concerned.


Developing political and legal grounds in the fight racism and violence in sport both locally and at the pan-European level, as well as educational and preventive measures were also major topics.

Apart from the prevention of violence and discrimination through sport, the participants discussed the contribution of sport to intercultural dialogue, but also work with youth and children through education. Focusing on the need for a legal framework, both locally and at the European level, the conference also considered measures for identifying and prosecuting offenders.

For 2010, it is expected that another EPAS Conference will allow discussion on ways to fight discrimination based on other grounds (religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc).