The International Olympic Committee is fine and dandy with Russia’s much reviled anti-gay propaganda law, ahead of the Winter Games in Sochi next year, since it doesn’t violate its charter. Besides, it’s not like they could do anything about it, according to chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission Jean-Claude Killy.
“The Olympic Charter states that all segregation is completely prohibited, whether it be on the grounds of race, religion, color or other, on the Olympic territory. That will be the case, we are convinced,” Killy said during a news conference Thursday, following the commission’s 10th and final visit to Sochi. “Another thing I must add: the IOC doesn’t really have the right to discuss the laws in the country where the Olympic Games are organized. As long as the Olympic Charter is respected, we are satisfied, and that is the case.”
Russia passed a vaguely-worded law back in June banning “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors,” which Russian officials — including President Vladimir Putin — claim is not discriminatory, but simply a measure to protect the children.
“Regarding this law, if people of traditional sexual orientation spread propaganda of non-traditional sex to children, then they will also be held accountable,” said Dmitry Kozak, a deputy prime minister overseeing the Sochi Olympics. “So there is simply no need to talk about discrimination.”
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That homophobic dog won’t hunt, says Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, who condemned the IOC’s actions while noting that Russian gay activists were arrested outside the Sochi Olympics committee in Moscow for protesting the law, just a day before Killy asserted his and the IOC’s satisfaction.
“If this law doesn’t violate the IOC’s charter, then the charter is completely meaningless,” Griffin said in a statement. “The safety of millions of LGBT Russians and international travelers is at risk, and by all accounts the IOC has completed neglected its responsibility to Olympic athletes, sponsors and fans from around the world.”
spac2010
Easy! I’m not watching the Olympics.
fagburn
But the Olympic charter already bans all protests.
“No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” 50:3
http://www.olympic.org/documents/olympic_charter_en.pdf
You may recall Tommie Smith and John Carlos being expelled from the Mexico 68 Olympics for giving black power salutes.
Would someone like to make a list of countries that don’t have any discriminatory laws?
Daniel-Reader
The IOC should stop insulting people by claiming sport is a human right. Sport is just a business transaction for companies. Human rights are universal and indivisible. If the IOC was dedicated to human rights, they’d never be kosher with the Russian law. It would also be interesting for the IOC to be transparent about where the money in Russia has gone. It is best to avoid the appearance of International Organized Corruption.
Daniel-Reader
That deputy prime minister also just confessed that his government is committing genocide against gay people since he readily admits if you tell gay children they should be treated as equals you will break the law – even if you tell your own children and grandchildren their human right to equality should be protected you break the law. If gay children want to express their right to equality, they break the law as well.
fagburn
@Daniel-Reader: May I politely ask you look up genocide in a dictionary?
It’s far, far more serious than that.
2eo
@Daniel-Reader: Spot on Daniel, they’re opening the doors for gulags and extermination camps.
Don’t listen to Fagburn and Lefty, two members who are xenophobic and r@cist, they don’t even acknowledge any problems are happening in Russia, read his own words on his username link if you think I’m expanding on the truth.
fagburn
@2eo: That’s actually libellous, as well as being stupid.
2eo
@fagburn: “Naturally the united gay simpletons of Twitter have set it ablaze today. Fuck knows how anyone who can get angry about something like this would cope if something really bad happened. So a silly old man has said the sort of silly thing some silly old men sometimes say!
THIS IS EXACTLY HOW MUSSOLINI STARTED!!!
Is there an e-petition yet?”
“Gay wet liberals brains EXPLODE!!! with confusion as Ian McKellen says he doesn’t support boycotting Sochi, and this outrage just after Elton John says he still wants to play some concerts in Russia in December. Two of their “gay saints” become sinners in the blink of a blinkered eye. How dare the quisling traitors deviate.”
Polaro
IOC Charter – $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Polaro
And McKellan is right. He is not silly. The proper response to this is to boycott the sponsors, not the event. Elton John is wrong in that no one should go, except the athletes. I would encourage those of you hating on McKellan to think about it a bit. What will get the IOC to stop this crap? Losing sponsors. That is where all their money comes from. Not ticket sales.
fagburn
@2eo: Interesting you cropped the last sentence.
It actually reads;
“How dare the quisling traitors deviate from the neo-colonialist queer consensus and consider what actions might actually be useful and/or not completely useless??!!”
jonjak13
Monsieur Killy has just defiled the good name of the Olympics. So sad.
I only hope and pray that during the winter games we get to see thousands
of rainbow flags displayed by the athletes who know how to stand up for
what is right and just.
2eo
@fagburn: Editing your own blog posts after they’re posted elsewhere.
Your latest article about Russia, again the overtones of complete denial about the problems over there with appeals to ignorance all over the place.
“Would someone like to make a list of countries that don’t have any discriminatory laws, and would thus be suitable hosts in the future? I can’t imagine it would take very long.”
Your own words are making you look like a pillack mate, give it up. You know for someone with links to Snopes and Skeptic Dictionary [I have 2 articles on there] you’re not very bright and just accept the towed political line.
Volvoguy
The only way the IOC will hear anybody is to take that remote
And push the off button when Olympics start .
The this will be the perfect boycott.
That wallet hurts worse than Putin bullshit!!
Deepdow
Gay Pride parades should be renamed. It isn’t ‘Pride’ rather Courage, which is noblest, and as such, they should be known as this.
They would say we are Sin, but these are the only sins :
wrath
greed
sloth
pride
lust
envy
gluttony
These Sins are around us are but not underscored or illuminated as the ones that are the matter. The focus needs to be shifted onto them.
Deepdow
**These Sins around us are not underscored or illuminated as the ones that are the matter. The focus needs to be shifted onto them.
Daniel-Reader
@fb: if you do not know the five criteria for judging genocide (violating any of the five constitutes genocide, and Russia is currently debating another bill which would violate yet another of the criteria), then you should ask your parents to explain the concepts to you.
2eo
@Daniel-Reader: Clearly he doesn’t, read his latest r@cist diatribes, this time attacking Stonewall and Peter Tatchell [very important parts of our community here in the UK]
http://www.fagburn.com/
He’s a right wing nutter masquerading as a gay man, his constant veiled threats and outright attacks on our political allies proves it.
fagburn
@2eo: I think calling me “r@cist” and right-wing indicates you are either incredibly thick or bonkers.
Your comments here suggest both.
But then you also think I’m not actually a gay man.
Genius!
x
PS Daniel, oh other great unhysterical intellectual, genocide is usually defined in international law as “the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, caste, religious, or national group” – ie the mass killing of people.
Okay?
Cam
“”Besides, it’s not like they could do anything about it, according to chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission Jean-Claude Killy.””
______________________
Nice Try IOC, there is a HUGE difference between claiming you can’t do anything about it, and threatening to disqualify and send home ANY athlete who makes the political statement of say…holding their partner’s hand, or wearing a rainbow pin.
It isn’t that the IOC can’t do anything about it, it is that they have become agents in helping Russia enforce it and are therefore supporting and enforcing bigotry and hate themselves.
Boycott, and if we don’t, I’m not going to watch and will stay away from their sponsors.
viveutvivas
Who is the IOC? A bunch on unelected princes and magnates whose first responsibility is to the sponsoring corporations.
Niall
I like how they say “race, religion, color or OTHER”, they can’t even be bothered to expressly state sexual orientation.
MK Ultra
Russia can and will be provoked into violence which we will then use to humiliate them on the world stage.
All it takes is one incident that can be used as kindle for a huge flame and Russians are certainly stupid enough to document their violence.