The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has become the first national Olympic committee to join the Swiss-based Centre for Sport and Human Rights, the two organisations said on Tuesday.

By joining CSHR's network, the COC aims to ensure their high performance success is achieved in a safe, inclusive manner with barrier-free access to sporting opportunities.

"We are honoured to be the first national Olympic committee to join the Centre for Sport and Human Rights and its integral mission to advance human rights in the sport ecosystem," COC Chief Executive Officer David Shoemaker said in a news release.

The centre, which launched in 2018, works towards a world of sport that respects human rights and strengthens accountability of all actors in the sport ecosystem through collective action. REUTERS