ILO meeting adopts first global Guidelines on labour rights for professional athletes

Tripartite experts agree measures to promote fundamental principles and rights at work and prevent violence and harassment in professional sport.

18 March 2026

GENEVA (ILO News) - Government, employer and worker experts from the sport sector have adopted new Guidelines on the promotion of fundamental principles and rights at work and the prevention and elimination of violence and harassment for professional athletes.

Adopted on 6 March following five days of intense tripartite discussions at the International Labour Organization (ILO), the first-ever Guidelines aim to promote fundamental labour rights for professional athletes worldwide. Their adoption marks a significant step in the ILO's ongoing efforts to promote decent work and strengthen protections in the world of sport.

The new Guidelines draw on the five fundamental principles and rights at work: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; the effective abolition of child labour; the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation; and a safe and healthy working environment.

"These Guidelines are an important step in recognizing professional athletes as workers and setting out how fundamental principles and rights at work apply to them in a sector that is marked by wide differences between countries and types of sport," said Nikola Gillhoff, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations and Chairperson of the meeting.

"This meeting has shown that effective tripartite dialogue can deliver practical tools, especially in emerging sectors and with regard to complex and diverse labour situations," said Frank Hagemann, Director of the ILO's Sectoral Policies Department (SECTOR). "The Guidelines are an important contribution to setting out how labour standards can help improve conditions and enhance growth in professional sport."

The Guidelines were adopted following discussions among experts from labour and sport ministries, employers in the sport sector, and trade unions representing athletes from various sport disciplines.

They set out practical measures on issues such as safeguarding child athletes, preventing human trafficking in the recruitment of athletes, combating all forms of discrimination in sport, and addressing occupational safety and health risks, including violence and harassment on and off the playing field.

The Guidelines will be submitted to the Governing Body in November 2026 for approval for dissemination.

Contact:

• Mr Oliver Liang, Head, Public and Private Services Unit; Senior specialist: education, culture, media, sport ([email protected]).