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

[Coach]

I'm of the opinion that the most powerful thing that could be done, as has been mentioned already, is to show up at the games in full support of LGBT rights. I really like the idea of having some sort of message on the uniforms of athletes or something. Boycotting just seems petty and only hurts the athletes, whereas if the athletes show up in full support, the country then has to make a very difficult public decision. Do they attempt to detain these LGBT supporters? Athletes from another country? Or do they show "weakness" by allowing them to participate freely with no consequnce, even though their recent legislation say differently. I would have zero problem with team Canada marching into the opening ceremonies with a pride flag instead of the Canadian flag. Those are the types of things that get people talking throughout the course of the games. Rather then "well Canada's not here" and that's all you hear about it.

EDIT: ^^^.....Annnnnnd the hypocrisy begins..

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I'm of the opinion that the most powerful thing that could be done, as has been mentioned already, is to show up at the games in full support of LGBT rights. I really like the idea of having some sort of message on the uniforms of athletes or something. Boycotting just seems petty and only hurts the athletes, whereas if the athletes show up in full support, the country then has to make a very difficult public decision. Do they attempt to detain these LGBT supporters? Athletes from another country? Or do they show "weakness" by allowing them to participate freely with no consequnce, even though their recent legislation say differently. I would have zero problem with team Canada marching into the opening ceremonies with a pride flag instead of the Canadian flag. Those are the types of things that get people talking throughout the course of the games. Rather then "well Canada's not here" and that's all you hear about it.

EDIT: ^^^.....Annnnnnd the hypocrisy begins..

Yeah that goes a little too far for me. If you have athletes that want to carry the gay pride flag, that's great. But these athletes are competing for Canada and take great pride in the Canadian Flag as well. They also represent Canada and not one community or segment.

To me that would be like an athlete choosing to carry in the flag of Quebec instead of the maple leaf.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Yeah that goes a little too far for me. If you have athletes that want to carry the gay pride flag, that's great. But these athletes are competing for Canada and take great pride in the Canadian Flag as well. They also represent Canada and not one community or segment.

To me that would be like an athlete choosing to carry in the flag of Quebec instead of the maple leaf.

Quebec is a choice though. A dirty, dirty choice.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by polak

Fun fact, apparently Jessie Owens preferred his time in Berlin to America. Makes sense considering the treatment of black in the states while in Berlin, he was treated like every other athlete. Apparently Hitler waved to him too which is more than FDR did.

I knew that but it was Hitlers "racially superior" nazi's that got it handed to them

[Coach]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Yeah that goes a little too far for me. If you have athletes that want to carry the gay pride flag, that's great. But these athletes are competing for Canada and take great pride in the Canadian Flag as well. They also represent Canada and not one community or segment.

To me that would be like an athlete choosing to carry in the flag of Quebec instead of the maple leaf.

Fair enough, you're right that's not really the extreme I wanted to get at. But some pride symbol on the uniforms would be just fine by me.

[Robbob]

Just get a bunch of those temporary tattoos of the pride flag and hand them out do the athletes can put it on their cheek. Subtle but visible.

[driveway]

Russian legislator states that the law will not be suspended as many have suggested, but will be in force throughout the Olympics, meaning Gay and "Pro-Gay" athletes and tourists will be subject to arrest and expulsion during the games.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...?ir=Gay+Voices

I haven’t heard any comments from the government of the Russian Federation, but I know that it is acting in accordance with Russian law. And if a law has been approved by the federal legislature and signed by the president, then the government has no right to suspend it. It doesn’t have the authority.

[Flash Walken]

What if Russia was threatening to arrest black athletes?

Would we boycott?

[polak]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

What if Russian was threatening to arrest black athletes?

Would we boycott?

You can't really tone down being black for a couple weeks. I'm sure it would be a lot different if the law said that any gay athlete will be arrested which it doesn't. They're not hunting down gay people. You just can't be "openly" gay in public.

It's still really messed up but it's not like they'll be knocking on doors and actively seeking out anyone suspected of being gay so it's not really the same thing as arresting people for being black.

Also equality in terms of race is a lot more of a globally supported issue then equality in terms of sexual orientation. I don't know the numbers but I would not be surprised if the majority of the world is still anti-gay rights and therefore having a handful of progressive countries boycott would not be nearly as effective as one that was driven by race issues.

[qiang]

Originally Posted by 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.

my country china....seems ...every country has some "sentiment" to my country...lol

[SeeBass]

How about the Olympic team wear those gloves with the Maple Leaf on the palms with the gay flag colours in the leaf.

Reveal them at the opening ceremony with a palms up wave to the Russian officials box.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Boycotting is a foolish idea. Athletes are the only ones who really lose out.

If athletes want to make a point (and I'd love it if they do), wear a rainbow pin and hold hands during the ceremonies.

Being there and standing up to an ignorant regime is infinitely better than simply not showing up.

[19Yzerman19]

Really the best thing that could happen would be for Russia to lose the games altogether and have them revert back to Vancouver. It will never happen, unfortunately.

[Stay Golden]

Boycotting the Olympics only ensures 1 thing that thousands of athletes world wide that spend countless mornings to night hours training, training, and more training in their sports for 1 chance to shine will be robbed of that chance.
Most of them are dedicated to sports that receive little attention or recognition except during the Olympics.

It is selfish for the non competing general public put their politics and personal agenda's in front of the athletes selfless dedication to sport.

I support the Olympic athletes not those that would boycott the games over this subject.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Boycotting the Olympics only ensures 1 thing that thousands of athletes world wide that spend countless mornings to night hours training, training, and more training in their sports for 1 chance to shine will be robbed of that chance.
Most of them are dedicated to sports that receive little attention or recognition except during the Olympics.

It is selfish for the non competing general public put their politics and personal agenda's in front of the athletes selfless dedication to sport.

I support the Olympic athletes not those that would boycott the games over this subject.

What about athletes that choose to boycott the games on their own? Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) boycotted the 68 games on his own.

Great article on this on Grantland

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...ycott-movement

[Senator Clay Davis]

Well the US may boycott, but not for this reason. Edward Snowden has been granted a 1-year asylum in Russia. Should be interesting to see how the US reacts.

[Flamenspiel]

--

[Flashpoint]

Stephen Fry writes open letter to the IOC:

I write in the earnest hope that all those with a love of sport and the Olympic spirit will consider the stain on the Five Rings that occurred when the 1936 Berlin Olympics proceeded under the exultant aegis of a tyrant who had passed into law, two years earlier, an act which singled out for special persecution a minority whose only crime was the accident of their birth.

(snip)

The Olympic movement at that time paid precisely no attention to this evil and proceeded with the notorious Berlin Olympiad, which provided a stage for a gleeful Führer and only increased his status at home and abroad. It gave him confidence. All historians are agreed on that. What he did with that confidence we all know.

Putin is eerily repeating this insane crime, only this time against LGBT Russians. Beatings, murders and humiliations are ignored by the police. Any defence or sane discussion of homosexuality is against the law. Any statement, for example, that Tchaikovsky was gay and that his art and life reflects this sexuality and are an inspiration to other gay artists would be punishable by imprisonment. It is simply not enough to say that gay Olympians may or may not be safe in their village. The IOC absolutely must take a firm stance on behalf of the shared humanity it is supposed to represent against the barbaric, fascist law that Putin has pushed through the Duma.

(snip)

The idea that sport and politics don’t connect is worse than disingenuous, worse than stupid. It is wickedly, wilfully wrong. Everyone knows politics interconnects with everything for “politics” is simply the Greek for “to do with the people”.

http://www.stephenfry.com/2013/08/07....ouepySZb.dpuf

[nik-]

If China wasn't boycotted, Russia shouldn't be.

[East Coast Flame]

Lots of bars around North America (including Calgary) are banning Russian Vodkas to protest the anti-gay laws.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...646/story.html