The IOC is moving forward with the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020 after consulting with the Sport & Rights Alliance and is making specific changes to the Host City Contract 2024 with regard to human rights, anti-corruption and sustainable development standards. The IOC adopted new procedures and made changes to the Host City Contract 2024, which now includes a section designed to strengthen provisions protecting human rights and countering fraud and corruption. IOC President Thomas Bach said, "Strengthening transparency, good governance and accountability are key elements of Olympic Agenda 2020" (IOC).
EARNING PRAISE: REUTERS' Karolos Grohmann reported the new contract that "makes the protection of human rights a core requirement earned praise from rights groups," which said that "preparations of major sports events lead to rights violations." Human Rights Watch Global Initiatives Dir Minky Worden said, "Time after time, Olympic hosts have gotten away with abusing workers building stadiums, and with crushing critics and media who try to report about abuses. The right to host the Olympics needs to come with the responsibility not to abuse basic human rights." Int'l Trade Union Confederation General Secretary Sharan Burrow said that the move could help "break the cycle of human rights abuses, and this example from the IOC should be applied to all such events" (REUTERS, 2/28).
