Athletes’ Health Freedom Declaration

Athletes’ Health Freedom Declaration

We, the undersigned, hereby declare our unambiguous support for the most fundamental and sacred of human rights, bodily autonomy. We resolutely embrace the ethical medical principle of informed consent.

We declare that no person, business, institution, organization, or government has the right or the authority to force, coerce, threaten, or intimidate us or any person to put something into our bodies; to donate blood, an organ, or any part of our body; or to require any specific medical or health treatment or intervention against our wills.

For nearly seven decades, the principles of natural law and basic human rights have been universally agreed upon by all free nations and codified in international treaties. The Nuremberg Code, the Declaration of Helsinki, and The UNESCO Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights are reflections of the world’s intent.  As such, the practice of ethical medicine requires prior, voluntary, and informed consent for all medical treatments or interventions.

Since WWII, the United States Supreme Court has affirmed that we possess not only the right to privacy with respect to our bodies, but to decline medical intervention, even if it might save our lives. Furthermore, the US Declaration of Independence upholds these ethical principles by stating that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights such as “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” – rights that cannot be taken away.

The US Supreme Court has declared that,

“No right is held more sacred, or is more carefully guarded by the common law, than the right of every individual to the possession and control of his own person, free from all restraint or interference of others, unless by clear and unquestionable authority of law.”

We believe every person has the right to determine their health choices according to their conscience without coercion or threats to their freedom to pursue education, employment, worship, participation in society, and happiness.

Bodily autonomy is the most sacred of human rights. As athletes whose careers and livelihoods depend or once depended upon the optimal functioning of our bodies, we are resolute in claiming this sacred right.

On July 27, 2023, this declaration was authored and signed by,

Leslie Manookian, Health Freedom Defense Fund
John Stockton, NBA, Voices for Medical Freedom
Ken Ruettgers, NFL, Voices for Medical Freedom