People with disabilities are an integral part of any society. That is why they should be given precisely the same attention as all other persons. This attitude should apply to all areas of human life and be consolidated at the legislative level. The aim of this essay is to research the law that protects the rights of people with disabilities in the context of sporting events.
In most countries, there are various measures to protect the rights of persons with disabilities; however, applying similar principles in sports can be difficult. Nevertheless, sports can be of immense value to humans as a means of self-fulfillment (Weston, 2017). That is why one of the most important laws in this context is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the UN in 2006 and entered into force in 2008 (United Nations, n.d.). By ratifying and signing this document, the participating countries agree to abide by the described guidelines and make every effort to implement them by creating their laws and systems.
The full text of this document is pervasive and includes a detailed analysis of all aspects of human life. However, in the context of sports, the most important is the fifth paragraph of the thirtieth article, which speaks about the equal participation of people in sports activities. According to the document’s text, signatory countries are obliged to “encourage and promote the participation, to the fullest extent possible, of persons with disabilities in mainstream sporting activities at all levels” (Weston, 2017, p. 9). In addition, this Convention calls for giving people the opportunity to participate in specialized sports events for people with disabilities.
This Convention is important because it applies to all countries that have ratified it. Such an international agreement makes it possible to apply the force of international law to regulate the rights of people. Therefore, the effect of this document on the lives of people with disabilities can hardly be overestimated since it creates the basis for the formation of an inclusive society. Although the states are responsible for creating specific systems on their territory, the presence of a large-scale international law makes it possible to consolidate the fundamental rights of people with disabilities in sports. Since this structure right unites all countries, the entire international community monitors situations with human rights, which is a solid guarantee of their observance.
References
United Nations. (n.d.). Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD). Web.
Weston, M. A. (2017). The international right to sport for people with disabilities. Marq. Sports L. Rev., 28, 1.