Guy Ryder becomes patron of the Centre

The Centre for Sport and Human Rights warmly congratulates its Chair Guy Ryder on his recent appointment as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Policy. Mr. Ryder’s new role at UN Headquarters in New York is testament to his extensive policy experience and notable achievements during ten years as Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, including critical leadership in addressing the links between the world of sport and the protection of international labour standards.  

Mr Ryder will remain the Centre’s Chair until the end of 2022, before joining founding Chair Mary Robinson as a Patron of the Centre.

Guy Ryder said: “I’m excited by the opportunity to work closely with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and colleagues from across the UN system in advancing our common agenda to achieve the international community’s shared objectives. My past engagement with the Centre in my previous role at the ILO, and recently for a short time as the Centre’s Chair, have been a great pleasure. The Centre’s mission and activities are of vital importance, and I was pleased to have met many sport and human rights stakeholders at our recent Doha Dialogue on Sport, Human Rights and Legacy. The Centre holds a unique position at this important time for global sport and has the right structure, personnel and leadership to make a transformative difference for affected people and in how the sport ecosystem works together to advance the human rights agenda. I look forward to continuing cooperation with the Centre, and it will be an honour to serve as Patron alongside Mary Robinson.”