sportscotland and Human Rights
The Human Rights Act 1998 was passed into UK law and came into force in Scotland in October 2000. It incorporated the European Convention in Human rights (ECHR) into domestic law and placed all public authorities under a statutory duty to comply with human rights legislation.
The Human Rights Act 1998 contains articles that are designed to protect people’s rights in areas including:
- freedom of expression
- right to privacy and family life
- freedom of thought, conscience and religion
- right to a fair hearing
- right to peaceful possession of property
The Human Rights Act makes it unlawful for a public authority to act, or fail to act, in a manner which is incompatible with the rights enshrined in the ECHR. The Human Rights Act 1998 can be enforced by the UK courts and European residents can appeal any decision to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
As a public authority, sportscotland must uphold the rights enshrined in the Human Rights Act 1998.