Tag: Olympics

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Commercial: Tongue in cheek ad calls for diversity and inclusion at the Olympics

“The games have always been a little gay. Let’s fight to keep them that way”

The Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion made this little ad to lighten the mood a bit about the ongoing anti-gay laws and legislation in Russia.

Everyone isn’t laughing, however.

From Queerty:

“They’re making fun of our sport for their cause and it doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me,” said Christian Niccum from team American. “If I were to go hug my dad and someone took a picture and showed it in really slow motion, they could use it in a video like that and that’s just ridiculous. It’s my dad. Can’t we show affection to each other without it being some sort of sexual contact? This is sports. It’s the same thing. Why does it have to be like that?”

His teammate Preston Griffall (awesome name, btw) sounds a little more sensible, saying, “We’re two dudes, laying on top of each other in spandex. Of course people are going to make fun of it.”

Here’s the ad, in case you’ve missed it. Over 4.7 million views in a week.

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Finland: Olympic swimmer comes out before Sochi games

Finnish Olympic swimmer Ari-Pekka Liukkonen has made history by becoming the first Finnish athlete to come out as gay while still active in his sport.

The winner of the bronze medal in the 4x50m mixed freestyle relay at the 2012 European Championships, he said he wanted to talk publicly about his sexuality close to the Sochi Olympic games to bring attention to Russia’s controversial anti-gay legislation.

From Finnish news site Yle.

“I wanted to start a broader discussion in connection with Sochi, because it’s sad that the legislation in Russia restricts the human rights of young people and others,” Liukkonen told Yle.

“It’s a really great feeling that I can finally be myself,” added Liukkonen.

Liukkonen added that he hopes his coming out will lead to a more open attitude about sexual orientation in sports and that eventually it will no longer be considered news. ”Homosexuality is the same kind of characteristic as whether a person has blue or brown eyes, or whether they are left- or right-handed,” he offered.

The swimmer came out to his family on an individual basis over the past couple of years and said their response was very supportive.

“My family has received the news positively, and everyone has supported me,” Liukkonen revealed, adding that they had already sensed that he’s gay.

Liukkonen has suffered from mycoplasma for the past two years, but is optimistic about competing in the 50 metre freestyle in the Rio Olympic games in 2016.

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Sen. Schumer – Athletes should wave the rainbow flag at Sochi Olympics

Like President Obama, Sen. Chuck Schumer opposes any boycott of the Sochi Olympics due to recently passed anti-gay “propaganda” laws in Russia.

But he did have a different idea.

Sen. Charles Schumer on Monday said he opposed boycotting the Sochi Olympic Games despite new Russian anti-gay laws, instead urging nations to wave rainbow flags during the opening ceremonies to show support for gay rights.

“That’d be pretty embarrassing for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Schumer said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “Let our athletes participate but still make a stand.”

In addition to the anti-gay laws in Russia, tensions have been strained between our two countries with the added pressures of Edward Snowden, the NSA leaker, being granted asylum in Russia last week.

Read more at The Hill

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Eighty-three members of Congress ask Sec. of State Kerry for protections for LGBT Olympic athletes

A letter penned by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and co-signed by 83 members of the US House has been sent to Secretary of State John Kerry demanding protections for LGBT athletes at the Sochi Olympics. From the letter:

We applaud the State Department’s commitment to ensuring that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons abroad, and the actions your agency has already taken to communicate concerns about the overall direction on LGBT rights in Russia directly to the Russian government.

In light of the importance of U.S. leadership on LGBT issues, and the quickly-approaching Sochi Games, we urge the State Department to determine the appropriate course of action to assure the safety and well being of LGBT and LGBT— supporting individuals involved in or attending the 2014 Sochi Olympics and Paralympics.

We look forward to hearing from you regarding what efforts have been undertaken, especially efforts undertaken in coordination with other foreign governments, and are committed to working together with you on this issue.

Buzzfeed has the full list of signees.

Contradicting statements have been made on the issue of Russia’s anti-gay laws and the upcoming Sochi Olympics. Despite claims to the contrary by the IOC, last week Russian officials said that both athletes and attendees of the Sochi Olympics will indeed to be subject to arrest under Russia’s “homosexual propaganda” ban.

(via Huffington Post)

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Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham calls Russian anti-gay laws “horrific”

Matthew Mitcham accepting his Olympic Gold medal

Olympian Matthew Mitcham says new Russian laws, which would see athletes at next year’s Sochi Winter Olympics jailed if they are involved in any type of gay pride activities, are “horrific”.

The Russian government has warned those who wear a rainbow pin or T-shirt or wave the gay pride flag face jail terms under laws signed off by President Vladimir Putin in June. Even gay couples holding hands is illegal.

The gold medal-winning diver from the 2008 Beijing Games said the laws were in violation of basic human rights.

“It’s really sad,” Mitcham said. “The way they are persecuting people in Russia is quite horrific.” Mitcham said Russia’s stance would hinder performances and take away the joy of the Games experience. “The Olympics is the best experience you will ever have as an athlete,” he said. “Their whole memory and experience is going to be marred by this stuff. They are going to be made to feel unacceptable, inappropriate, and it is a really awful, awful feeling.

“The Olympics are supposed to be somewhere where they can go to be relieved of that feeling.

“A place where you can compete and feel that gender and sexuality is not an issue.”

The International Olympic Committee said it had “received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games”.

However, Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly L. Mutko said Olympic athletes travelling to Russia would be expected to obey the new law.

Conflicting statements don’t make anyone feel secure.

(source)

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The New York Times editorializes on Putin’s “war on gays”

Graphic via Memeographs

“The United State needs to be more forceful.  So does the International Olympic Committee, which too often fails to defend the Olympic ideals and should be leading a full-throated international campaign to insist that Russia repeal these laws.” – New York Times editorial board July 27, 2013

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International Olympic Committee says Russian anti-gay laws won’t affect athletes & fans at Sochi Games

The International Olympic Committee has issued a statement that it has received “assurances from the highest level” of the Russian government that athletes and fans that attend the Sochi Olympic Games will not be subject to the national ban on “promoting homosexuality.”

“As a sporting organization, what we can do is to continue to work to ensure that the Games can take place without discrimination against athletes, officials, spectators and the media,” the IOC said in an emailed statement. “To that end, the IOC has received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games.”

The IOC added that “this legislation has just been passed into law, and it remains to be seen whether and how it will be implemented, particularly as regards the Games in Sochi.” While the law’s proponents argue that it is aimed at protecting children from harmful influences, critics allege that the move is part of a broader crackdown on Russia’s gay community. Russia has come under international criticism, including from the European Court of Human Rights, for its treatment of gay people.

NBC said this to Buzzfeed regarding the IOC’s statement :

“NBCUniversal strongly supports equal rights and the fair treatment for all people. The spirit of the Olympic Games is about unifying people and countries through the celebration of sport and it is our hope that spirit will prevail,” NBCUniversal senior vice president of corporate communications Cameron Blanchard told BuzzFeed Friday evening.

Geidner reports that NBC noted that the Olympics are still seven months away and that “specific coverage plans are yet to be finalized.”

(via JMG)

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HRC calls on NBC to expose anti-gay laws in Russia during Olympics

The Human Rights Campaign is calling on NBC, the official broadcaster of the Olympic Games, to call out Russia’s anti-gay policies during their telecast.  

Chad Griffin says “NBCUniversal, which has the exclusive rights to broadcast the Olympics in the United States, has a unique opportunity — and a responsibility — to expose this inhumane and unjust law to the millions of American viewers who will tune in to watch the Games.’

Read the full letter here

(via TheBackLot.com)

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Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir asks the world to NOT boycott Olympic Games in Russia

“The fact that Russia is arresting my people, and openly hating a minority and violating human rights all over the place is heartbreaking and a travesty of international proportions. I respect the LGBT community full heartedly, but I implore the world not to boycott the Olympic Games because of Russia’s stance on LGBT rights or lack thereof. I beg the gay athletes not to forget their missions and fight for a chance to dazzle the world.

“Olympics are history, and they do not represent their host, they represent the world entire. People make their own futures, and should a government or sponsor steal that future, whether it be a Russian government or American government, it is, as an athlete, the death and total demolition of a lifetime of work. Support the athletes. There isn’t a police officer or a government that, should I qualify, could keep me from competing at the Olympics.” – Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir