“Imagine this: it’s the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Games
in Sochi, Russia. A huge television event, watched the world over. The
American Olympians join the proud march of nations. They’re our
emissaries, our exemplars. And as the television cameras zoom in on Team
U.S.A., one of its members quietly pulls out a rainbow flag, no bigger
than a handkerchief, and holds it up. Not ostentatiously high, but just
high enough that it can’t be mistaken.That beautify fantasy, above, is the beginning of New York Times‘ opinion writer Frank Bruni‘s Monday column, “Striking Olympic Gold.” What Bruni leaves out is that that act of political defiance would disqualify each participating Olympic athlete from the Games. In short, they would each be sent home.
And the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could very well be sending home a great many Olympic athletes from the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia six months from now, if any of them show support for LGBT civil rights. While the IOC has not made a public statement, their 103-page charter (published below) is very specific:
No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.The bylaws clarify this rule:
No form of publicity or propaganda, commercial or otherwise, may appear on persons, on sportswear, accessories or, more generally, on any article of clothing or equipment whatsoever worn or used by the athletes or other participants in the Olympic Games, except for the identification – as defined in paragraph 8 below – of the manufacturer of the article or equipment concerned, provided that such identification shall not be marked conspicuously for advertising purposes.So, if any Olympic athlete pulls out a gay flag, as the Times’s Frank Bruni suggested, or of they wear the tiniest rainbow pin on their uniform, they could be disqualified from the Games and sent home.
Curiously, the charter is also very specific on matters of human rights, posing a contradiction for the International Olympic Committee.
Fundamental Principles of Olympism:So, now what?
6. Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.
Mission and Role of the IOC:
10. to oppose any political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes;
Members:
1.3 The IOC admits its new members at a ceremony during which they agree to fulfil their obligations by taking the following oath:
“Granted the honour of becoming a member of the International Olympic Committee, and declaring myself aware of my responsibilities in such capacity, I undertake to serve the Olympic Movement to the very best of my ability; to respect and ensure the respect of all the provisions of the Olympic Charter and the decisions of the International Olympic Committee, which I consider as not subject to appeal on my part; to comply with the Code of Ethics; to keep myself free from any political or commercial influence and from any racial or religious consideration; to fight against all other forms of discrimination; and to promote in all circumstances the interests of the International Olympic Committee and those of the Olympic Movement.”
Two comments:
ReplyDelete1. Personally I do not think that the IOC would dare to go that far, sending home athletes who show the Rainbow Flag (either at the official presentation or opening ceremony nor at any other event or moment).
It would show support for the position of the anti-gay attitude and law in Russia, and that would be devastating to the principles of the IOC....... it would make an even more political statement then when athletes would show colors!
2. I think the IOC is in a complete and total social, ethical and moral dilemma at the moment!
The IOC knows that worldwide there is a strong objection present, and growing, against the OG as they are, being held in an anti-gay Russia, then there is the position of the IOC economically and financially..
When the OGs are canceled the IOC will be held accountable for all the losses of sponsors, the IOC will be asked to pay up for the costs of the facilities in Russia, and no doubt the Russian government will claim loss of goodwill ............
And then, and perhaps the most important aspect of it all, the IOC is in itself not pro-gay!
With all the representatives from (sometimes very) conservative NOCs the IOC as institution is conservative!
If the President of the IOC states that he is against the anti-gay laws in Russia, he gets whipped by the other members of the IOC, except the western reps probably (although one can question the position of some western IOC members too!).
And that would be positive for Putin and his clique of thugs!
So, what is the IOC to do? Cancel the OG?
Impossible, as then the athletes would loose out on a sports-event they have trained four years for, and loose out on development!
Impossible also as it would be construed as a political statement and possibly act, against a sovereign country, Russia!
Impossible also as when canceling the OG, the IOC would possibly go bankrupt!
On the other hand, the IOC must do something, to make clear that it does not support the anti-gay law in and of Russia, and then thus make also a statement they are pro-gay, a statement they can not make as it is construed as a political statement!
What to do?
Well, the easiest solution would be to change the rules....... while the game is on...... explicitly declare all non-sport statements illegal, and reason for expelling from the OG......
It would frighten the athletes to open their mouth, as they are there to do their thing, BUT it could also at the same time disqualify the athletes because at home they are then accused of being anti-gay themselves!
Or.. when it concerns a gay athlete, he or she is performing under an immense stress, and that is not good for results!
What to think if a gay athlete wins? He or she must be careful not to hug his or her teammates, as that could be construed as expression of affection, gay affection, and land him or her in a Russian prison!
No showing happiness over a win also is idiotic, as that is a normal reaction!
Yeah,,, Putin and his thugs have created a real problem for the world, for the IOC, for the governments, for the athletes, and the gay community!
Perhaps best solution is to start a war against Russia, and put the constitution of Russia, and its subsequent laws out of order...... and then re-instate the Russian Constitution after the OG.................