That's beautifully written. And I hope governments won't turn a blind eye to this. What disgusts me the most is that it's almost certain that it will continue, and Führer Putin will get away with these crimes.
To think that Russia is considered part of the developed world, one of the permanent members of the UN security council... it's mind boggling. It's disgusting that a repressive, bigoted, backward state can be allowed to use these sacred sporting institutions as some kind of PR papering-over of its inhuman policies. As far as I'm concerned, anyone I know who watches Sochi2014 (or any other sporting event held in Russia - the Football World Cup 2018, for example) is going to plummet in my estimation.
I obviously support LGBT people and do not condone what Putin and Russia are doing to those people. HOWEVER, I firmly believe boycotting the Olympic Games in Sochi is not the answer. When the United States boycotted the Soviet Games in 1980, it was in protest of their presence in Afghanistan. Well, the Soviet Union stayed in Afghanistan for 9 more years. What was accomplished? Depriving hundreds of athletes of accomplishing their life-long dream. Boycotting the Olympics now won't change how the Russian government treats gay people. The only way to change the Russian government is through the Russian people. Athletes work way too hard their whole lives to just compete in maybe one Olympics and if 2014 is their one shot at it then I don't think it's fair to make it a political issue. The mistake was awarding the games to Russia in the first place, but don't try to take it away from these athletes now.
Yes, written beautifully! I also don't think a boycott is the answer, but if possible, the Olympics should be moved to another city.
I strongly disagree. Firstly, with regard to the athletes: with all due respect to them, what is happening in Russia right now is simply more important than a single sporting tournament. Obviously the Olympics is the tournament for a lot of sports, but the idea that athletes all live exclusively for the Olympics is a fallacy believed only by the general public. These athletes, whilst 'amateurs' under the Olympics rules, are essentially professionals with careers. They compete constantly, in a huge number of different competitions and tournaments. Yes, for many of them the Olympics is the peak of those careers, and to be denied the opportunity to compete (or to compete in an Olympics which is not broadly discredited and ignored) will be a massive disappointment. But it is not going to seriously impact on their quality of life. Meanwhile, people in Russia are BEING TORTURED AND DYING. Sometimes, you simply have to recognise priorities and be willing to upset a few sportspeople for the greater good. Secondly, the effectiveness of a boycott: I don't know if you're talking about a boycott by a nation, refusing to send it's athletes to compete, or a boycott by viewers refusing to attend Sochi2014 or watch it on TV and online, or both. I potentially agree that the former just isn't going to carry enough weight, especially since just one nation - even a significant one - dropping out is never going to do enough damage to the tournament to have much effect. However, the latter option - a boycott by audiences and viewers - can be extremely effective. Make no mistake, the reason a nation like Russia is looking to host sporting events is to maintain the impression that it is one of the world's leading nations, a global policy-maker, up with the times socially, economically and culturally. This is one of the things that is most offensive about the Winter Olympics being hosted there - if successful, it will paper over Russia's human rights abuses in the global consciousness. It is hard not to view an Olympic host nation as an important, modern global leader. It will effectively maintain that fiction. Given that this is the intent of Russia hosting the Olympics, the very best way to hurt them is to hit their publicity. If people do not attend Sochi2014, do not watch it, do not pay attention to it and do not talk about it, then it will have been a waste for Russia. If this cheap PR tactic can be made ineffective, the Russia will be forced to face the reality that if it wants to maintain its status as a leading modern nation it will need to bring its human rights situation into line. The IOC, like a lot of major sporting governance bodies, has become a corporate institution. It exists to continue making money. It would be extremely worried by the potential for a real, effective viewer boycott of the Winter Olympics, since attendees and viewers are where its money comes from. The threat alone might be enough to force it to switch host nation, which again would disrupt Russia's attempt to paper over its human rights abuses by hosting global cultural events.
I've been looking forward to watching the olympic games in Sochi ever since the last olympics, being a skiier myself. But after have read this among other articles I've decided I will completely stand against it. I hate the thought of missing out on the olympics but I just can't support the evil and backward state that Russia is.
They don't need to boycott. They could move the olympics or simply ban team Russia. Secondly, and I'm not saying this is identical but neo nazis are killing gays in Russia now, and allowing the Berlin olympics to go forward is something the world will never live down. Let's not make this mistake again.
I don't think a boycott or venue change is the right idea either. We already had a thread for this: http://emptyclosets.com/forum/curre...4206-stephen-fry-call-pm-olympic-boycott.html
Wow, I stand completly against it, Putin and these thugs, it boggles the mind to think Russia, which sufferered so bad under the facist Nazi jackboot, should be going this way, and troubling even more coz its happening today I don't agree with his comment that Jewish people and the "accident of there birth". They choose to be Jewish, I didn't choose to be Gay, its terrible what happened to Jews but i still find there views and religion a load of crap, I hate hypocrisy
Jewish isn't a religion, it is a geneological ethnic group heritage just the same as African-American or Swedish or Gaelic is. Judaism is the religion. (It is very heavily linked to Jews though.)
There's some debate about if there a religion or a race ---------- Post added 9th Aug 2013 at 02:24 AM ---------- Actually, it is a religion (you can convert) with racial/genetic overtones
