The World celebrates “World Fair Play Day by UN” 19 May 2025

The UN designated May 19, 2025, as “World Fair Play Day, commencing 2025, to promote the practice of sport with a spirit of friendship, solidarity, tolerance and inclusion, and without discrimination.

It noted CIFP’s aim to preserve and promote respect for the spirit of fair play and the values it represents in elite sport and in sport for all, as well as in daily life, in particular the observance of rules, respect for the opponent and combating violence and doping,   To commemorate this historically significant event, CIFP  convened a series of events that took place in Budapest, Hungary, including a meeting of its leadership body, the Council*, a General Assembly, and its traditional Awards Gala. Amongst many dignitaries, Hungarian Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto attended the event.

Highlight of the Awards was outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach OLY, receiving the prestigious Jean Borotra* trophy for his distinguished Career.

CIFP also elected The Honorable Sunil Sabharwal as its President; he had served as Treasurer and Secretary General to CIFP before.

Outgoing President, Dr Kamuti Jeno OLY, a former winner of the Fair Play award himself, who has served as President since 2001, has been elected Permanent Honorary President.

Dr Bach, Olympic champion, and Jean Borotra award winner, said in his thank you remarks the following, “It is with much appreciation and gratitude that I humbly accept the World Fair Play Career Award. On behalf of the entire Olympic Movement, I would like to thank the International Fair Play Committee for this tremendous honour. This award belongs to everyone in the Olympic Movement. Because without the support of so many around the globe, our Olympic mission to make the world a better place through sport and its values could never be accomplished. Fair play is at the heart of our Olympic mission. When Pierre de Coubertin founded the IOC, he saw fair play as fundamental to all sports — fair play is therefore one of our most cherished Olympic values. This is why I would like to thank everyone at the International Fair Play Committee, under the great leadership of my dear friend Jenö Kamuti, for his outstanding work to promote fair play and the values of sport.”

Dr Kamuti added his heartfelt thanks to all those gathered for the many years of unwavering support, and said that “fair play is the essence of sport itself, serves as exemplary to society, and it is more meaningful than victory”.

Finally, Mr Sabharwal declared the event a “momentous occasion” given the event taking place on the inaugural UN-recognized World Fair Play Day,  and thanking the Hungarian authorities for initiating this motion at the UN, and declaring Budapest the “center of the UN fair play universe” in that moment.

CIFP Handles & Hashtags

• Instagram: @fairplayinaction
• X (Twitter): @OlympicFairPlay
• Facebook: com/internationalfairplay
• LinkedIn: International Fair Play Committee

Hashtags: #WorldFairPlayDay #JustPlayFair

President Sunil Sabharwal, Council Member Hanna Wawrowska and the Polish Junior Curling Team

CIFP President Sunil Sabharwal with some of the CIFP Council Members, Miroslav Cerar, Hanna Wawrowska and Kory Tarpenning