I totally support this as an individual choice for athletes, and it actually has very little to do with the changing the Russian law, which, let's face it, isn't going to change as a result of three weeks of international pressure.
Instead, it has to do with the message that it sends to gay individuals, both in Russia and in other nations. It's pretty easy these days in western culture for an athlete to be pro gay rights. Most gay rights parades have local prominent athletes in them, but that's essentially showing your support to the most sympathetic audience. Showing support for gay rights on a global stage in a country that's staunchly opposed not only to a discussion about homosexuality is more an act of courage would be a pretty big deal. I think it would be a major statement on gay rights here in Canada (and a somewhat minor but still significant statement for the gay community in Russia).
That said, I'd rather it come from a choice by athletes themselves. Ten or fifty or a hundred individual athletes stepping up and wearing a badge by personal choice is more of a statement than 200 athletes being told to wear a badge by their committee heads. However, such a policy of making it individual choice makes it a thorny issue for a team sport like hockey. If some athletes choose to wear it and others don't, those who don't are going to be perceived, correctly or incorrectly, as anti-gay back home. I wouldn't want a situation where any athlete feels pressured into wearing a badge because their teammates are doing it and they don't want to piss off anyone. That's not the way to encourage discussion either. So I don't have an answer for what should happen with the hockey team, but I do hope the COC finds a way to help individual athletes express their support.
|