Practical Implications of the United Nation’s Disability Convention for Sport, Recreation and Leisure for People with Disabilities

Although sport and disability are not new subjects to the United Nations, the Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities serves as the first legally binding instrument for protecting those with disabilities in the sporting realm. Article 30.5 is specifically devoted to addressing the rights of people with disabilities in the sport, recreation, play and leisure realms. The Convention requires all countries ratifying it to take proactive measures, including changes and/or additions to policy and legislation to enable individuals with disabilities to realize their human rights in the sporting realm. The paper discusses relevant United Nations instruments in existence before the Convention and addresses the difference between prior instruments and the new Convention. An analysis of Article 30.5 and relevant other Articles of the Convention is offered. Practical applications of the Article in the field are provided, as are suggestions on how it can be used to as a tool for implementation, development and the securing of rights in the sporting realm for people with disabilities