The World Players Association played a central role in securing the adoption of historic global guidelines at the ILO Meeting of Experts on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and on Violence and Harassment in the World of Sport, held in Geneva from 2 to 6 March 2026.
For the first time, governments, employers, and workers' representatives have reached consensus on international guidelines specifically designed to protect the fundamental rights of professional and high-level athletes, and to address the violence and harassment that continue to affect athletes across all sports and at all levels.
"This agreement is a milestone that athletes around the world have been working toward for years. It reflects a shared recognition that sport cannot hold itself to a different standard than the rest of the world of work. Athletes are workers. Their rights are workers' rights. And now, for the first time, the international community has come together — across governments, employers, and worker representatives — to say so in a single, authoritative framework." — Walter Palmer, Executive Director, World Players Association
A framework grounded in international labour standards
The guidelines affirm that all workers, including athletes, should be protected by the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. They establish that these rights should be recognised by domestic legislation and embedded within the governance and operations of sport — and in the policies, systems, and practices of professional sport. Particular attention is given to promoting equality of treatment and opportunities for women.
What this agreement means for athletes
The guidelines give governments a concrete and authoritative tool to apply the rule of law in sport — aligning their national frameworks with international labour standards and closing the gap between the values sport claims to hold and the conditions athletes actually face.
They also affirm that addressing violence and harassment in sport is inseparable from recognising athletes as workers. Where athletes lack collective representation and workplace protections, they also lack the power to safely report abuse, challenge discrimination, or hold institutions accountable. Collective bargaining remains the most effective and durable mechanism for delivering on these protections.
Looking ahead
"The challenge now is implementation. Guidelines only become reality when governments enact them, federations respect them, and athletes have the collective power to enforce them. World Players and our member associations will continue to push for exactly that." — Palmer, added.
World Players is committed to supporting the implementation of these guidelines through our member associations, our engagement with governments and international institutions, and our ongoing work to expand collective bargaining across sport globally.
We will continue to advocate for an international sport system that matches its stated values with genuine respect for the people who make it possible: the athletes.
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