IOC adds non-discrimination clause to host city contract

IOC adds non-discrimination clause to host city contract

FUTURE Olympic host cities are now required to sign a contract to protect LGBT athletes, attendees and staffers from discrimination after the International Olympic Comittee recently introduced a new non-discrimination clause.

After the international backlash over Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda” laws that overshadowed the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, the IOC last week announced it would be adding the new anti-discrimination clause to its host city contract.

This means future host cities — beginning with the one chosen next year for the 2022 Winter Olympics — must sign a legal document saying they will follow Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter, which reads: “Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

“This is a significant step in ensuring the protection of both citizens and athletes around the world and sends a clear message to future host cities that human rights violations, including those against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, will not be tolerated,” said Andre Banks of All Out, one of several human rights groups that led the campaign before and after Sochi.

However, the new clause has attracted the scepticism of some, including OutSports co-founder Cyd Zeigler.

“The Olympic charter already expressly forbids discrimination, yet discrimination is allowed to pervade countless member nations,” he wrote in a recent column.

“Some scribbled words on this new ‘agreement’ will give cover for the IOC to claim it’s inclusive and fighting the good fight, all the while embracing nations that behead people for ‘witchcraft’ and stone people for being gay.”

Zeigler went on to equate the new clause to putting “lipstick on a billion-dollar pig.”

All Out, in partnership with Athlete Ally, also were responsible for launching the Principle 6 campaign last year to give athletes and fans a way to speak out against Russia’s gay propaganda laws before and during the Sochi Winter Olympics.

More than 50 Olympians, including a dozen competing in Sochi, joined the campaign. The Australian bobsled teams also took part.

You May Also Like

One response to “IOC adds non-discrimination clause to host city contract”