2 mayo 2013
UNI Sport PRO May Day Messages
«It
is absolutely crucial that athletes across the world are recognised as
workers and secured proper conditions to work under…. » Mads Øland –
Board Member, FIFPro. Read other messages here
Tony Irish – CEO, South African Cricketers Association.
«In South Africa we live in a new democracy where workers’ rights are
strongly recognized in law and society. This obviously has to apply to
all of our professional athletes and it’s the primary role of a players’
union to ensure that they do. Players’ unions are coming together
across the world to also ensure that these rights apply globally and we
are very happy to be part of that.»
Jose Luis Llorente – Presidente, Asociacion Baloncestistas Profesionales
«We call on world sport organizations and governments to respect the fundamental rights of athletes as citizens and workers.
It’s about time to give back the sport to athletes. The athletes trade
unions are the only representative voice of sports people and must be
involved in the decision making process at the global level.»
Mads Øland – Board Member, FIFPro.
«It is absolutely crucial that athletes across the world are recognised
as workers and secured proper conditions to work under. Having athletes
organise and reaching collective bargaining agreements are pivotal to
accomplishing this goal.»
Ian Smith – Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations
«The players are the product. This is a truism for every professional
sport and it’s comforting because, whatever the current shortcomings in
the governance of sport (and there are many), the players will be there
long after the men who run things now are gone. All we, as the
democratically elected representatives of the players, need is integrity
and patience and the principles enshrined in the Nyon Declaration will
become a self-evident reality to every stakeholder in sport.»
Damian Hopley – Chairman, International Rugby Players’ Association
Independent Player Associations in rugby union have become best practice
for rugby players to collectively work in partnership with governing
bodies to represent, develop and support the players’ holistic needs.
These partnerships have resulted in greater accountability, enhanced
transparency around decision-making and more effective high performance
environments.”
Dave Kiefer – NBA Players Association
«Professional athletes’ rights as workers, an in particular athletes’
right to organize collectively as members of player associations, must
be recognized regardless of where an athlete works. Independent and
democratically elected player associations ensure that athletes can have
their voices heard at the local, national and global levels on issues
that impact them in the workplace.»
Jeff Reymond – General Secretary, European Elite Athletes Association
«EU Athletes strongly encourage sport organizations to engage in social
dialogue. It will an important step forward for the status of athletes
in Europe and highlights that article 11 of the European convention on
Human Rights about the freedom of association – in this case in a trade
union.»
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Erik Zachrisson – Swedish Ice Hockey Players Union (SICO)
“Swedish ice hockey players believe their voice should be heard and
their rights looked after at the world level since they compete around
the globe. It´s a right that every athlete should have and it´s time for
all players’ unions to be accepted at all levels in all sports and
countries to develop the sport movement. “