P articipants at the fifth world conference of sports ministers in Berlin (MINEPS V) adopted a comprehensive list of recommendations to reduce and control corruption in sport, share the socio-economic benefits of sport more equitably and ensure access to sport for all. It was a high turn-out in Berlin which hosted more than 600 participants as representatives of 130 countries, from which 50 sports ministers took part, in addition to senior sports officials in sports and physical education. The Berlin Declaration lay emphasis on sport as a fundamental right for all, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, age, impairment, cultural and social background, economic resources or sexual orientation. It also underlines the threat to the integrity of sport from transnational organised crime, doping, the manipulation of sports competitions and corruption, which, like sport itself, has become a global phenomenon. “These are not just legal issues,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova in her opening address to the conference. “They are serious political issues that concern all of us, because no one country can effectively deal with them alone. Sport has become global; our response must also be global.” The declaration's many specific recommendations on the issues of access, investment and integrity seek to improve and consolidate international cooperation between governments and all other sport stakeholders in these areas. The document includes calls for improved sports governance; greater transparency in bidding for and hosting of major sports events; and different approaches to the organisation of such events; sharing of research data and good practices on physical education and sport; collaboration in the early detection of manipulation, preventive measures and monitoring in accordance with national and international law. There was also a call to the sport movement to introduce a zero-tolerance policy, especially against doping and the manipulation of sports competitions, as well as effective, proportionate disciplinary regulation, and a range of preventive measures. The Berlin Declaration also called on UNESCO's member states to redouble efforts to implement existing international agreements and instruments, such as UNESCO”s International Convention against Doping in Sport, and invited the organisation to propose practical follow-up and monitoring. In opening the conference, Federal German Chancellor Angela Merkel underlined that Germany would continue providing its support and capabilities in the service of UNESCO and reaffirming her country's full support to UNESCO. Merkel underscored her country's steadfast engagement in all aspects of the organisation's work, focusing on the current global challenges and shared the director-general's views on such challenges as global warming, and the sciences for peace and sustainable development. Merkel also underlined the importance of networking with sports organisations and communities to strengthen the effective implementation of UNESCO's international regulatory framework in relation to physical education and anti-doping in sports. Bokova thanked the German chancellor for hosting the conference in Berlin, emphasising “Germany's strong commitment to the values of sport”. “Sport is an integral part of our global effort for peace-building and for strengthening social cohesion throughout the world,” said Bokova who also stressed on the importance of Germany's commitment to multilateralism, ranging from access to and quality of education about cultural heritage protection and conservation, as well as the preservation of biodiversity. Egypt took part in the conference with a delegation of two -- Ayat Abdel-Moeti, the Egyptian assistant minister of sports for international relations and Dr Ossama Ghoneim, head of Sports Medicine and Doping Control at the Egypt State Ministry of Sport. Egypt was invited to lead discussions in the second session which tackled the theme of Investment in Sports and Physical Education. After the three-hour session, Egypt was selected among five countries to draw up the final declaration of the Berlin 2013 conference. The recommendations and Berlin declaration was a result of three main topics and themes discussed in the conference. The themes were set by the Federal Minister of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich, the minister responsible for sports, together with national experts, developed positions on each topic to support the preparatory work at the international level. The themes were Access to Sport as a Fundamental Right for All; Promoting Investment in Sport and Physical Education Programmes; and Preserving the Integrity of Sport. Friedrich chaired the three-day conference as the host country. He addressed the audience at the opening ceremony following the selection of his country to head the conference, confirming to the delegations Germany's commitment towards sports and physical education “as it has an effect on different aspects whether political, social or on the economy. It is also a tool for bringing nations and their cultures together and closer. “Sports also need huge investments for the infrastructure needed for stadiums and sports facilities as well as giving a chance to the governments bidding to host big events. Some developing countries face difficulties in organising big events because they have to abide by the rules which are sometimes tough. These governments need our support and Germany has shown support before to some countries. “Integrity in sports is really very important and should be seriously be brought to the table of discussions along with issues like match-fixing, doping and all sorts of corruption in sports. There have been some cases like bribing players and referees and the past year has even seen money laundering in football that reached about 10 million euros. It's not only football that is suffering from corruption but all kinds of sports as well. Therefore, we should call for means of protecting the sport from such violations to ensure the value of sport.” In a press conference, Friedrich told Al-Ahram Weekly that Germany is already one of the nations that has no problems in terms of access to sports. “As you can see, Germany has no problem with women, girls and disabled athletes practicing sports and enjoying full access to sports. Germany supports governments seeking that right and believe that more programmes for girls and women and their participation in sports councils are required. Assistant-Director of UNESCO Alvarez Laso told the Weekly that UNESCO and the conference intend to follow up with governments and encourage them to the implement these recommendations. “It's a commitment the governments have to show to the conference. They have discussed and agreed on these recommendations, then they have to work on it. But we can't force them, of course. Columbia has expressed its intention to host a regional conference in South America to follow up which is a good move,” Laso said. Commission I tackled the Access to Sport on a Fundamental Right for All. The discussion focused on the consolidation of strategies and policies towards equal access to sport and physical education, particularly with respect to women and girls as well as persons with disabilities. Discussions were built on realising the rights contained in the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The key outcome of this commission will be the updating of UNESCO's 1978 International Charter of Physical Education and Sport to ensure its continued relevance with respect to inclusion. Within this framework, Commission I also aimed at addressing gender inequity related to leadership opportunities in the sport world. Equally, the conference sought to lay a foundation for the meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities in sports activities with able bodied persons. Opportunities to engage marginalised populations, particularly vulnerable youth groups, were also discussed. An exhibition on inclusive sport ran in parallel to the conference, presenting good practice examples to draw on. Commission II aimed at demonstrating sport's ‘return on public investment'. Thought was given to evidence-based recommendations highlighting the socio-economic benefits of sport. Establishing an international standard in this area and engaging public, private and governmental actors in its promotion was seen as a requirement to developing sound policy. Considering the globalisation of major sporting events, a second focus of this commission was on their social and economic legacy, which saw participants debating baseline operational requirements for major sporting events as well as aspects related to sustainability and adherence to national development strategies. Commission III aimed at advancing policy solutions to combat the threat facing world sports, the values of sport, which are under threat from illegal betting, match-fixing and corruption. Participants were drawn to the increasing evidence showing that this phenomenon is becoming endemic to many sporting competitions and that its scope required an urgent response. The internet being the main platform for both legal and illegal betting on sport events, only a globally rigorous approach can ensure that the many different stakeholders are mobilised at both the national and the supra-national levels. Sport ministers play a leading role in driving this effort together with the sports movement, standard setting bodies, the police, as well as the betting industry itself. According to the conference, Commission III represented an unparalleled platform on which to unite government actors and encourage sports organisations to define international approaches and develop recommendations for effective preventive measures and sanctions.
