am speaking ill of someone you like.
A few days ago Mr Stephen Fry wrote an open letter drawing comparisons between Russia’s
actions and the 1936 Olympics. He spoke well but I said at the time that I did not think the
Olympics will be cancelled or moved. I have also drawn comparisons between current events
and the situation in the 1930s and in this I fully agree with him.
Many others have spoken since then, they have spoken passionately and they have clearly
made a strong case against this discrimination.
But they will achieve nothing. They are in fact simply fighting an unwinnable fight and in
some cases they are clearly doing so just to be seen to do so.
To cancel the winter Olympics is impossible. This is a Global event, scheduled and organised
many years in advance. It will not be cancelled for anything short of a war.
To relocate the Olympics is extremely unlikely. Just which venue is going to be able to prepare
in a year for an event that entire nations get ready for over at least four. Who is going to pay
the bill to set up every facility needed to host an Olympic games on such short notice? Who is
going to compensate every company that has already spent millions preparing for the event in
Russia and would find that money wasted? Who is going to pay for the lawsuits Russia will bring
against the IOC?
To boycott the Russian Olympics will destroy the only chance hundreds of athletes have to
achieve the pinnacle of their sports; they may never again have the chance to compete at such
a level. Refusing to take part will also cost them sponsorship, it will remove corporate support
from their sport and everyone suffers as a result. Any major athlete who refuses to attendcan
wave goodbye to any sponsorship they have and will find that few companies will be deal with
them in the future.
Because of these reasons and more there is not going to be a change in the Winter Olympics. They
will go ahead as arranged. Nothing is going to be changed.
It is because of this that I suggested that the Athletes compete and claim medals wearing the rainbow
flag. If they want to make a stand, if they want to display their principles and show they care. The
problem is NOT the Olympics, the problem is the Russian Government. It is the Russians who must be
persuaded that Discrimination is wrong not the Olympics. It is the Russian people and Goverment who
must see, who must be shown, that any discrimination is unhumane
Russia has now stated that Athletes and visitors to the Olympics will not be subject to anti Gay laws.
Aside from a few thugs who sneak in I cannot see there being much trouble, Putin has too much to
lose from being seen to be “not in control of his own country” in the eyes of the world for anything
“Official” to happen.
Given that the president of world athletics’ governing body, Lamine Diack, sees “no problem
whatsoever” with Russia’s new anti-gay laws I don’t see much objection coming from any other
international body.
This means that anyone who wished to make a statement here will be doing so personaly.
Those who continue to call for action against Russia are flogging a dead horse. A number of those
who are most vocal in calling for the Athletes and event to be punished for the actions of Russia
have not said a word about discrimination based on Gender, religion or sexual orientation anywhere
else.
It is as if they are saying that it’s not a problem that other countries do it, it is only a problem when
Russia does it. More anti Russian than anti discrimination.
To those who are so vocally calling for action against Russia that they know will never happen I
would draw your attention to the following:
These are some of the countries with the Death Penalty for Homosexuality.
Sudan, Nigeria, Somaliland, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iran, Maldives.
These are some of the countries that enforce fines or prison sentences’ for
Homosexuality.
Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Cameroon, Togo,
Sierra Leone, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Comoros,
Mauritius, Seychelles, Angola, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Belize,
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent, Guyana, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Gaza and west bank, Oman,
Qatar, Syria, UAE, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Burma, Malaysia,
Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga.
Where is the condemnation of these nations? Where are the speakers lining up to condemn
discrimination, state sanctioned beatings, imprisonment and murder in these countries. Greece has
Internment camps where LGBT people, prostitutes, non whites are imprisoned, this is happening
right here, in Western Europe.
Where is the Celebrity condemnation of this? Where are the loud voices calling for action against
Greece? Where are the open letters to the European Court of Human RIghtts, to the EU parliament,
to the Greek goverment?
To speak against Russia while remaining silent on every other nation that condones far worse
discrimination is to become as meaningless as the so called Feminists who so loudly cry for equal rights
and equal pay for women but then fall silent on the matter of Women in Europe or other countries
denied a vote, denied the right to own property, denied the right to drive or to leave their house unless
escorted. Women who are beaten, raped, mutilated, killed because of so called family honour.
If you oppose discrimination based on Religion or Gender or Sexual Orientation then oppose it where
every it happens, every country, every culture, every time.
To do otherwise is Hypocrisy.