Following the international outcry over Russia’s anti-gay legislation that overshadowed the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced in a letter to prospective host cities that it would be adding a new anti-discrimination clause to its host city contract. The whole russia thing was one of the main contributing factors at play when I came out so this is wonderful to see. Read the full article here: International Olympic Committee announce anti-discrimination clause for host cities | So So Gay magazine
It's a shame the IOC didn't have the guts to stand up to Russia before Sochi. FIFA need to follow this example, but I wouldn't hold your breath.
Interesting. I take it this applies to the host country, and not just the city. In which case, the US would be off the table, unless they pass nationwide anti-discrimination laws, as well as marriage/civil unions, I should think. So for now, we don't have to worry about a Dallas, Texas, or Tulsa, Oklahoma Olympics But the main thing the Olympics boil down to is money: Money to spend on training, building, advertising...it's all just another racket, to me. It's sad it can't be just about sports, as opposed to countries parading about their economic, political and even military prowess.
Agreed about the racket. The Olympics disgust me anymore. Even the torch thing is from the 1936 "Nazi Olympics".
Too little, too late. They clearly didn't have the guts to stand up to Russia. Also, my understanding is the new clause fails to mention sexual orientation specifically (see below) creating a potential loophole for future event holders. Nice to know we are just bunged in with "otherwise". The clause: "Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise"
I mean, I'm glad that they've done something, but this should have happened 20 years ago. I'll be interested to see what happens when Rio occurs in 2016. My Brazilian friends have told me that they have anti-discrimination laws in Brazil anyway...
About fucking time. The sad thing is that they even had to do this. They're the freaking Olympics, for crying out loud. The one organization that fully stands for anti-discrimination, and putting differences aside, and they have been for years.
Brazil has always struck me as a bit of a contradiction. On the face of it (given the view portrayed to the outside world) you would think its a very accepting place. You always see gay carnivals, openly gay people on beaches, stuff like public funded sexual reassignment for transgender people (with a very big uptake), equal financial and legal rights for gay couples etc. Yet from what I've read its also the world's biggest hotspot for anti-LGBT violence, and a study showed a third of the population were against the criminalization of homophobia. It's bizarre, it is almost as if the government is more liberal than the actual population it represents? Usually its the other way round!
I think the Olympics should be held on the moon. The lower gravity will make things more interesting, and it seems like a pretty neutral place.
I'm going to respectfully disagree here. The Olypians that went to Sochi had to take the chance that they would be arrested under the anti-gay laws there. They had to make sure that they did not "promote homosexuality" or otherwise they were at risk. Also, looking at the sociology of sport and the media, as more LGBT people are seen in the media and sport, the more accepted they become. The Olympics has been a huge media event for years and years. As soon as the media is involved, an event becomes so much more than just a sporting event. It becomes advertisement, it becomes promotion, it becomes stories of overcoming challenges. So, long story short, if the games were just about the sports, they would not be covered. The Olympics have always incorporated stores of the underdog. Why do you think that people fell in love with the Jamaican Bobsled team? Not because they were good... that's for sure. As for the original topic of this thread, it is a great that this is being put into effect. It is too bad that they could not stand up to Russia's anti-gay politics though.
As can be read in my earlier reply, I do know the Olympics is more than just sports at the moment. I'm saying however I wish it wasn't, I would much rather see it being what it's supposed to be just a global competition of elite athletes aiming for a win.