International sports are events in which teams from at least two countries compete against each other, such as the Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup. In addition to the Olympics and FIFA, some other internationally-renowned competitions include the French Open (tennis), Calgary Stampede (rodeo), Giro d’Italia (cycling), and the American Grand Prix and Ryder Cup (golf).
Unlike national sports organizations, which organize local events, international sport federations regulate the game at a worldwide level. For example, the international governing body for soccer is called FIFA, and it establishes rules of game play and ensures compliance with those rules through its Disciplinary Code. FIFA also arbitrates disputes involving players, agents, and referees, and select decisions from its Dispute Resolution Chamber are available online.
As an increasingly global industry, international sports have significant economic power and influence political, social, and cultural issues around the world. This power and influence can lead to controversy. In 1983, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) established the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), or Tribunal arbitral du sport internationale (TAS) as it was known in France.
The Olympic Charter states that sport is a human right, and prohibits discrimination of any kind. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights makes no specific reference to sport, but its broader tenets—including the right to education and the right to participate in cultural life—provide some guidance on these issues. In addition, the United Nations has created an International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) to raise awareness, celebrate success stories, strengthen partnerships, and advocate for solutions to sport-related challenges such as gender equality and racial equality.