Should players, sports organizations, or the whole COC boycott the Sochi Olympics?

[driveway]

As has been widely reported, Putin signed a law on June 30th which allows Russia to imprison for up to 14 days tourists and foreign nationals authorities suspect of being homosexual or "pro-gay." The law had previously passed the Duma with unanimous support. Four Dutch citizens have already been arrested under the law.

On July 3rd, a law was signed which bans the adoption of Russian children, not only by homosexual couples, but to unmarried couples in any country in which there is marriage equality, period.

Earlier in June a law had been passed and signed which classifies any "homosexual propaganda" as pornography. Tell a minor that homosexuality is anything but evil and wrong in any way and you can be subject to arrest and fines.

In response, many groups and organizations around the world are indicating their displeasure with Russia. "Sister cities" such as Reykjavik, Milan, Melbourne and Los Angeles are breaking off, or considering breaking off their relationships with their Russian counterparts.

With the Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia, it is unsurprising that pressure is being mounted on athletes, sports organizations, and olympic committees around the world to support the LGBT community and LGBT athletes and fans by boycotting the 2014 Olympics.

The IOC has issued a statement in which they state

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. Wider political issues in the country are best dealt with by other international organizations more suited to this endeavor."

So now the question: should there be a boycott of the Olympics and if so, who should lead it? Should the choice to attend or not attend be left up to individual athletes, or should it be made by other groups such as a specific sporting agency or authority such as Hockey Canada, or even by an entire national Olympic committee.

My opinion is yes, there should be a boycott. Homosexuality is genetic, passing laws restricting it or the discussion of it are as disgusting and morally reprehensible as any ethnic or racial laws. It is not a question of culture or religion, it is a question of morality and it is morally wrong to oppose homosexual rights.

I believe that the decision to boycott, however, should be left up to individual athletes. In my ideal world I would like to see every single Canadian Olympic athlete announce independently that they will not be attending the Sochi Olympics. I intend to write letters to athletes encouraging them to do so. I would encourage those members of CP to whom this is an important issue to do the same, but I am interested in hearing opinions on whether this is an important issue and who you feel should lead (or not lead) any Olympic boycott.

If the mods think it's appropriate a poll might be useful, choices could be:
No boycott
Athlete led
Sport-Agency led
National Olympic Committee led

[Oling_Roachinen]

Ideally the world would let Russia know they don't approve. However, that's quite the unfair pressure to put on athletes who have trained their entire lives for maybe just 1 chance at competing in the Olympics. To miss it because the host country, probably decided long after they started training, has a law they might not agree with is a pretty huge decision.

I would say any athlete has the right to boycott any event he wants for whatever reason. I definitely don't think any other person or group has the right to tell them though.

And let's not forget the 2008 Olympics were in China...not exactly human rights leader of the world.

[bcsoda]

That is a really tough decision. My gut reaction is that yes, the Olympics should absolutely be boycotted by every single athlete, sponsor, etc. However, Oling_Roachinen has a good point. To train your whole life for this event and then not do it because of a crappy law in the host country sounds really awful.

I don't know much about this, but what kind of effect would a more localized boycott have? For example, if TV stations refused to broadcast the Olympics, bars and restaurants didn't show the Olympic games, and patrons refused to go to bars and restaurants that were airing the games? Would it only effect Canadian companies, or would it have some sort of rebound effect and hit Russia as well?

[Thor]

I'd say leave it up to individual athletes, I doubt any nation would decide to boycott as there was much more reason to do so in China than in Russia.

[transplant99]

Amateur sprorts orginizations are better left to making decisions about their athletes rather than making political statements....which is all a boycott is.

If individual athletes choose not to compete as a statement of their own, then fine. They should also receive full support for doing so and not be subject to funding cutbacks and such.

The spirit of the games is so much more than political chess matches....let it play out without interference from some goofball orgs.

[You Need a Thneed]

No. Such a boycott is not the best way to help them change their minds. In fact, it's a terrible way, and may even have the opposite effect.

Plus, if boycotts were held against every country with a stupid law, everyone would be boycotted.


That being said, the media is going to be watching, and if there are any arrests under this law, and it's going to get out. At that point, I think there will be some pretty strong pressure against the Russian government.


But again, in this case, I'm not sure if a boycott is the best way to get the message across.

[Oling_Roachinen]

More I think about it, more I'm against any form of boycott.

I'll cheer for those wearing the Maple Leaf as always and would respect any athlete if they did decide to boycott it. However, it's the Olympics. It's about different cultures coming together, showing their own pride and respecting each other. Boycotting it almost seems counterintuitive, instead I would prefer our athletes to go over there and represent Canada. Let Russia know that we aren't suffering for our ever growing tolerance of the LGBT community.

[undercoverbrother]

A boycott would ring hollow after 2008. As mentioned above, China presented plenty of reasons to boycott, but no country did (IIRC).


So my answer is no, we should not boycott. We should send an team of gay and transgender athletes.

[Robbob]

It would be amusing to see russia/putin's reaction if in the opening ceremonies 90% of the athletes came in also sporting the rainbow flag

[gargamel]

It was a disgrace that so many countries allowed the 1980 and 1984 Olympics to be politicized, and another boycott would be similarly ineffective in doing anything other than hurting the athletes and billions of spectators around the world. Some of the things that Russia is doing are disgusting, but the Olympics should never be about anything other than sport.

[Dan02]

I don't think the athletes should be forced to boycott, they've worked to hard their whole life for their moment, they don't deserve to lose that over politics.

That being said I would love it if everyone started writing the main sponsors of the Olympics encouraging them to pull the advertising dollars.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by gargamel

It was a disgrace that so many countries allowed the 1980 and 1984 Olympics to be politicized, and another boycott would be similarly ineffective in doing anything other than hurting the athletes and billions of spectators around the world. Some of the things that Russia is doing are disgusting, but the Olympics should never be about anything other than sport.

Nevermind the boycott of the Montreal games simply because New Zealand was allowed to participate...all because their rugby team played a series of matches in South africa.

Ridiculous stuff.

[19Yzerman19]

I would applaud any athlete who chose to do this.

I'd like to see countries like Canada select gay athletes to carry the flag. And I like the rainbow flag idea. If there was ever a time to make a statement it's the opening ceremony.

[sevenarms]

It's a terrible set up in Russia but to ask these athletes to boycott the games that they've spent their entire life training for is a bad idea. I'm sure that the idea to boycott the Olympics hasn't been put up by any of the athletes actually going. We're pressuring these athletes into being a sacrificial lamb for our ideas.

So I think the boycott would be a bad idea. I think a possibly better idea would be for the entire collection of athletes to be outspoken against the laws while they're there. You can't arrest an Olympic athlete without an enormous worldwide backlash.

[Resolute 14]

Punishing athletes for something out of their control is absolutely stupid.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Robbob

It would be amusing to see russia/putin's reaction if in the opening ceremonies 90% of the athletes came in also sporting the rainbow flag

The IOC would absolutely forbid something like that. The athletes would never be let into the stadium wearing anything but a national flag. It is actually against their bylaws.

Of course, that doesn't preclude a nation designing their outfits in brightly coloured horizontal stripes that just so happen to bear a resemblance to a rainbow...

[terminator]

This is a terrible law. a law that takes away the morsel of living for the gay and even the straight. I don't know what the proper action is in this situation, but my heart calls for a complete boycott.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

More I think about it, more I'm against any form of boycott.

I'll cheer for those wearing the Maple Leaf as always and would respect any athlete if they did decide to boycott it. However, it's the Olympics. It's about different cultures coming together, showing their own pride and respecting each other. Boycotting it almost seems counterintuitive, instead I would prefer our athletes to go over there and represent Canada. Let Russia know that we aren't suffering for our ever growing tolerance of the LGBT community.

I completely understand what you are getting at and I think your heart is in the right place, but this is a poor choice of word. Perhaps acceptance would be more appropriate?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14;4341656[B

]The IOC would absolutely forbid something like that. The athletes would never be let into the stadium wearing anything but a national flag. It is actually against their bylaws.[/B]

Of course, that doesn't preclude a nation designing their outfits in brightly coloured horizontal stripes that just so happen to bear a resemblance to a rainbow...

Honestly, #### the IOC. I would love to see an entire country or individual athletes do just that, and I think that's the best course of action. Force the IOC to come down hard on someone taking that stand, let's see how well that goes over. The IOC, like FIFA, is starting to skate on thin ice. People aren't as content to just sit back and let these corrupt fiefdoms do as they wish, if they start punishing people for speaking out in favor of human rights they can expect to see that ice thin considerably.

[mykalberta]

If the law regarding gay tourists is not suspended durring the Olympics then it should be up to the sponsors to boycott. Athletes boycotting will do nothing. Money talks and the IOC is one of the most money driven and corrupt organizations in the world. You start pulling money, they start paying attention.

Boycotting to change the rules indefinately is circumventing democracy (well whatever Russians figure is democracy) and I wouldnt want any other country to try tactics like that to circumvent our own democracy.

The adoption rules and anything else are separate and up to Russia to decide what they think is best for Russians. It would be no different than if Dubai hosted something like tis and didnt suspend certain laws for the time the even is being held. What happens after the event isnt of anyones concerns other than Russians and the crazy tourists who would choose to visit. IMO