Thirteenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Sport has been a space for political expression and advocacy. Athletes and governments have used the international sport system to push their political agenda, successfully or not. The International Olympic Committee has however maintained its apolitical stance, even within a 21st century society calling for better protections of human rights. This paper, as an extract of the author’s Master’s thesis, through academic literature reviewed in sports studies and gender theories, uses three research questions to explain the IOC’s reluctance to take charge of protecting LGBTQ+ rights in sport. It also includes semi-structured interviews of relevant experts and a content analysis of online news media. Findings showcase the need for a thorough understanding of gender and sexuality before attempting to rebuild the gender binary in sport. An acknowledgement of LGBTQ+ rights as human rights and their protection especially within sport is necessary. Future research should explore pathways to make the international sport system a better protector of human rights.