World Fair Play Day took place on 7 September 2020

/Press release/ The World Fair Play Day took place on 7 September 2020 in Brussels; an initiative of the sports world, aimed at promoting Fair Play and ethical values in the practice of sport. The ambition of this Day is to enable the values of Fair-Play and sporting ethics to be understood as a real component of education in and through sport, society and life itself. 

On this occasion, all sports players, whether practitioners or supervisors, are invited to present the outstanding examples of Fair Play they have witnessed over the past year and in the future. World Fair Play Day is the result of a global partnership between International Fair Play Committee, Panathlon International, European Fair Play Movement and Panathlon Wallonie-Brussels (PWB). 

The philosophy of World Fair Pay Day is to affirm that Fair Play can be promoted both through large-scale operations and simple gestures. It is in this spirit that partner organizations invited all athletes, practitioners, managers, coaches, referees, parents, supporters and those around them to join this campaign and to undertake concrete actions on the ground to encourage athletes and their entourage to show exemplary behaviour in all circumstances. The aim is to make this Day a genuine celebration of Fair Play in sport.

September 7 was not chosen at random: it was on this date in 1963 that the founding members of what was to become the International Fair Play Committee (CIFP) met for the first time, at the initiative of French tennis champion Jean Borotra. The International Olympic Committee subsequently recognised the CIFP as a champion of the values of the Olympic Charter. 

World Fair Pay Day should also contribute to the United Nations' sustainable development objectives, in particular Goal 4 (quality education) and Goal 17 (partnerships).

In line with the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee, the day also contributes to the objectives of the UNESCO International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport and the Council of Europe's European Sports Charter.

The Panathlon Wallonia-Brussels (PWB) is at the origin of the "Fair Play Day", an event organised on 7 September each year since 2013 in French-speaking Belgium. It is therefore only logical that this first worldwide edition took place in Brussels. This edition was marked by the official signing of the manifesto of commitment by the organising entities and will be enlivened by local sporting activities and events.

AFP Forum link : http://u.afp.com/3bdK

Viméo link : https://vimeopro.com/afpservices/world-fair-play-day

(Photo: Dany Gys)