By Oluchi Obiahu
On June 19, 2025, the Sovereign Order of Malta, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone and Mission 89, organized a side event at the Palais des Nations entitled “Mobilizing Against Human Trafficking inSports: Women’s Safeguarding and Thematic Report.”
In his openingremarks, Ambassador MichelVeuthey thanked the participants for attending and emphasized the seriousness of exploitation in sports, a form of human trafficking that remains largely unrecognized. As was discussed, there is a significant lack of consistent data and formal mechanisms to identify and quantify casesof exploitation in sports. Nevertheless, the speakers emphasizedthat exploitation occurs directly within sports, particularly through the abuse of young athletes.They also noted that sports can serve as a deceptive recruitment channel, and that major sporting events present increasingrisks of exploitation, particularly for vulnerable groups.
The event gathered the following speakers:
- Michel VEUTHEY,Ambassador to Monitorand Combat Trafficking in Persons, Sovereign Order of Malta
- H.E. Ambassador Lansana Alison GBERIE,Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Republic of Sierra Leone
- Dr. May IKEORA-AMAMGBO, Africa Director, Mission89
Ambassador to monitor and combat trafficking in persons
- Ms. Marie-Laure LEMINEUR, Head of Safeguarding and Child Protection, Social Responsibility and Education Division, FIFA
- Dr. KatarinaSCHWARZ,Associate Professor in Antislavery Law, University of Nottingham
- Hon. Jared OKELO, Member of Parliament, Republic of Kenya
- Ms. Céline MOREAU, Founding Partner, Peter & Moreau, Attorneys at Law
- Ms. Ashleigh PLUMPTRE, Professional Footballer in Saudi Premier League,AlIttihad
- Ms. Katriina TALASLAHTI, Professional Footballer, Club Dijon FCO
- H.E. Ambassador Christian GUILLERMET FERNANDEZ, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Republic of Costa Rica
- Ms. Lerina BRIGHT, Executive Director, Mission89.
There were 60 people in the room, including representatives from Permanent Missions (Azerbaijan, Belgium, Costa Rica, the Council of Europe, the Dominican Republic,Egypt, the Gambia,Greece, Ireland, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Romania, Sierra Leone, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom), the UN system (UNFPA, UNOCHA, OHCHR, and UNBOA), and NGOs (GHCHR and ICJ).
The event was broadcast live on the UN’s Webex platform..
