Olympic Charter amendments approved by IOC Session

The photo taken on Oct. 15, 2023 shows the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai, India. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

Changes to the Olympic Charter to strengthen human rights have been approved by the 141st IOC Session.

MUMBAI, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Changes to the Olympic Charter have been approved by the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session here on Sunday.

"Additional wording has been included in the Fundamental Principles of Olympism as an overarching commitment to the respect for human rights, specifically in Fundamental Principles of Olympism 1 and 4," the IOC said.

"The change is a result of the work by the Legal Affairs Commission and its consultation with the Advisory Committee on Human Rights," it added.

The new wording in Fundamental Principle of Olympism 1 is:

Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example, social responsibility and respect for internationally recognized human rights and universal fundamental ethical principles within the remit of the Olympic Movement.

The new wording in Fundamental Principle of Olympism 4 is:

The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind in respect of internationally recognized human rights within the remit of the Olympic Movement. The Olympic spirit requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

"With this change to the Olympic Charter, we are also sending a strong message to our stakeholders. It marks an important milestone in the IOC's human rights work," said IOC president Thomas Bach.

The IOC also aligned the Olympic Charter with the Guidelines on Athlete Expression, which were introduced by the IOC Executive Board on April 21, 2021 and applied successfully at the Tokyo Summer Olympics and then at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The additional wording to Rule 40 makes it clear that all competitors, team officials and other team personnel at the Olympic Games shall enjoy freedom of expression, in keeping with the Olympic values and the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, and in accordance with the Guidelines determined by the IOC Executive Board.