A/HRC/40/51 129. Fourthly, and linked to the right to education, major sporting events should be conducted in a manner that respects the fundamental human rights of children. Sporting institutions, as organizers, have the responsibility and States, as hosts, have the obligation to guarantee the rights of the child throughout the major sporting event life cycle. 130. Further research is urgently needed on the impact of major sporting events on child rights in order to determine in particular if there has been an increase in the sale and sexual exploitation of children during such events. 131. Fifthly, the principles of autonomy and specificity, which are at the heart of sports institutions, should never be used as an excuse to renege on the human rights responsibilities of these organizations. 132. In addition, existing reporting mechanisms within sports organizations in cases of sale and sexual exploitation should be independent, to ensure that complaints can be filed without fear of intimidation or reprisal. 133. Finally, the multiple initiatives that have emerged over the past decade to ensure that human rights are respected in the world of sports are laudable. Nonetheless, there is great value in coordination as well as cooperation and, consequently, the promotion of common efforts is vital. Existing guidelines and safeguards should thus be considered as a whole and streamlined in order to ensure that there are no discrepancies. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols should serve as the core standard. B. Recommendations At the national level 134. The Special Rapporteur urges all States to: (a) Protocols; Ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its three Optional (b) Adopt clear and comprehensive legislation that prohibits the sale and sexual exploitation of children, as defined by the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; (c) In line with the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, invoke the liability of legal persons, in this case sports organizations, and ensure commensurate sanctions against actors who have directly participated in or facilitated the sale and sexual exploitation of children; (d) In line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, ensure the prevention, investigation, punishment and redressal of abuses committed by business enterprises, in this case sports institutions, through effective policies, legislation, regulations and adjudication; (e) Enact or implement legislation making it mandatory for sports institutions to undertake background checks of any individual working with children; (f) In the context of sports, ensure swift and comprehensive investigations, prosecutions and sanctions of perpetrators of human rights violations against the child, as well as of any legal person directly responsible; (g) Provide in such cases all-encompassing care, recovery and rehabilitation services and ensure that victims are consulted in the roll-out of such services; (h) In cases of so called “historic” widespread child rights violations in the context of sports (see paras. 74-77), establish investigative commissions and provide reparations to victims, in collaboration with concerned sports organizations; 18