IOC, Your Cowardice Is Showing
In news today, the Australian media is speculating as to whether gay Australian Olympians could be arrested at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, because of Putin's extraordinary anti-gay laws. But of course, it's not just gay people who can be detained for up to fourteen days under these laws, it's anyone who might be suspected as being pro-gay. I'm not sure what pro-gay means, but I have a feeling anyone reading this post is guilty of it. And anyone writing it.
* crosses Russia off list of places to travel*
Australian Olympic Committee spokesman Mike Tancred said this: "Under the IOC charter, discrimination of any kind is strictly forbidden. I am sure the IOC values will prevail."
Really, Mike? Really?
Well, that's reassuring. Everyone happy to go now?
You see, I like the ideals of the Olympics. All about striving for the best, and what humanity can do blah blah blah, but it’s hard to take the IOC seriously when, really, you know they’re just a bunch of old men who travel the world for free, and get wined and dined and seduced by countries who, for some reason, think that spending a gazillion dollars on a sporting event is a good idea.
But overlooking blatant abuses of human rights? That’s a whole other level.
You can promote yourself as non-political all you like, except for two things. Firstly, IOC, didn't you boycott South Africa during the apartheid era for shit like this?
And secondly, turning a blind eye to human rights abuses isn’t being non-political. It’s being an accomplice.
For those of us who don’t want to play that game, there is always Amnesty International.
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Nico
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Jul 24, 2013 08:06PM
Wonderful post, Lisa. The developments (or rather...BACKWARDS development) in Russia are really heartbreaking. Your post really brings home for those of us sitting in our living rooms just how WE could be personally affected by the horrible anti-gay laws in Russia. Step foot in Russia, and it really is possible that you could be detained just for what you read/write/believe in. I hope the IOC has the balls to stand up for what's right.
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*didn't even know the winter olympics were in Russia*
Putin is very much a politician, although the audience he plays to is primarily the elite and not the general population there. But the Olympics are a showcase, and a perfect opportunity to apply pressure against discrimination. What is needed is for the Western nations' Olympics organizations to pressure the IOC, because the IOC itself doesn't tend to make bold statements without being pushed to do so. I would love to see this become a real issue for Russia on the public stage. Of course, the fact that we had Summer Olympics in China, where you can be arrested and disappeared for a host of "crimes" like speaking your mind, is not encouraging in the hope that the IOC will do much.
Nico wrote: "Wonderful post, Lisa. The developments (or rather...BACKWARDS development) in Russia are really heartbreaking. Your post really brings home for those of us sitting in our living rooms just how WE ..."So di I Nico, but, as Kaje says, it's very unlikely.
Emma wrote: "*didn't even know the winter olympics were in Russia*"I usually only really watch the Winter Olympics, because snow is so exotic.
Kaje wrote: "Putin is very much a politician, although the audience he plays to is primarily the elite and not the general population there. But the Olympics are a showcase, and a perfect opportunity to apply ..."Oh, exactly so. I don't have a lot of hope the IOC will do anything, but like you, I'd love to see them make it an issue.
What needs to happen is for the huge corporations like Coca-Cola who sponsor the Olympics to pull out. It's a sad fact that money talks. Get the money behind it to take a stand and you'll see some people taking notice I bet. Appealing to the sponsors is the best hope of bringing attention to this.
Deja wrote: "What needs to happen is for the huge corporations like Coca-Cola who sponsor the Olympics to pull out. It's a sad fact that money talks. Get the money behind it to take a stand and you'll see some ..."Not only does money talk, I think it's been the only thing the IOC has heard in years.
MandyM wrote: "Great post Lisa!"Thanks, Mandy :)
*fistpump!*The scariest thing for me re: Russia (and many other countries, for that matter) is the lack of any measure of consistency/reliability at this point. The term "winds of change" is wholly appropriate and the current direction blowing in Russia doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies.
ETA: soon wrote: "*fistpump!*The scariest thing for me re: Russia (and many other countries, for that matter) is the lack of any measure of consistency/reliability at this point. The term "winds of change" is who..."
It is scary stuff. Any time a charismatic leader (let's face it, despot) starts to demonise a minority group for political gain, you know it's going to get worse before it gets better.
The IOC has never shown much in the way of consistency. It is such a shame that they can't bring themselves to care enough to try and use their power to actually help people.
Awilk -will work for books- wrote: "The IOC has never shown much in the way of consistency. It is such a shame that they can't bring themselves to care enough to try and use their power to actually help people."I'm sure they help plenty of people. You know, the old, rich people on the IOC itself, who get to travel the world for free, stay in five star hotels, and have the host city pick up all their bills.
Ha. That sure does help the world become a more tolerant place.
Awilk -will work for books- wrote: "Ha. That sure does help the world become a more tolerant place."It sure does. :)
Very enlightening, especially after I hit my research books for the 1936 Olympics. I've started seeing Sochi and Beijing both in totally different lights after that research.And regarding the IOC - their track record of standing up to dictatorships and other authoritarian systems isn't exactly benign.
Aleksandr wrote: "Very enlightening, especially after I hit my research books for the 1936 Olympics. I've started seeing Sochi and Beijing both in totally different lights after that research.And regarding the IOC..."
Agreed. The IOC tends to jump into bed with whoever is showering them in money and gifts, regardless of any of those pesky human rights' abuses.
I do wonder what made apartheid so different then, when they'd turned a blind eye to so much else. Whatever it was -- probably just the growing realisation that apartheid was just too blatant an abuse for even them to ignore -- it would be nice to see them reach the same conclusion about Russia.
Because all that rhetoric about how friendly competition brings nations together, and how they have higher principles than getting involved in grubby politics...well, that's a massive load of bullshit. They're not above it at all. By holding the games regardless, they're complicit.
Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but the thing is that South Africa was an economic dwarf. Russia really isn't (as lop-sided as its economy is). There are several states in Europe, for example, that are reliant on Russian gas or other raw material and therefore may just do nothing. (Famous is the German chancellor Schroeder's assessment of Putin: "He's a 100% pure democrat!")As some recent military interventions have shown, stomping on a dwarf is easy, but if the stompee is strong enough and/or has the means to retaliate, see how the stomping doesn't happen in the first place. Funny, that.
In my case, I'll be boycotting Russia as both a travel destination and an origin of goods (bye-bye, Stoli). Maybe I'll get to see St Petersburg in my lifetime. I live in hope.
This was even more true in the case of China, IMO. A lot of talk of "shining a spotlight" and "encouraging reform" that basically meant avoiding the issue and not rocking the boat.
Aleksandr wrote: "Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but the thing is that South Africa was an economic dwarf. Russia really isn't (as lop-sided as its economy is). There are several states in Europe, for example, that ..."Sadly, I think you're absolutely correct.
Kaje wrote: "This was even more true in the case of China, IMO. A lot of talk of "shining a spotlight" and "encouraging reform" that basically meant avoiding the issue and not rocking the boat."Yes, China was another good one, wasn't it?
And it's a lot harder to avoid goods made in China than in Russia.
There's this story about how the IOC and the American Olympic Committee and a number of other bodies were wrangling over Nazi Germany's treatment of Jewish athletes. Eventually, Germany sent a couple token Jews (not token in performance, mind you. Helene Mayer was a top-class fencer and won silver), while making life difficult for everybody else, but hat alone was taken as a sign that the IOC/the Olympics had won a huge victory against an authoritarian regime's unequal policies.Meanwhile, the Nazis were already building concentration camps. In that case, I think, Ravenbrueck, which is near Berlin. I'd have to check. But it's sobering.
Lisa wrote: "Yes, China was another good one, wasn't it?And it's a lot harder to avoid goods made in China than in Russia.
..."
Nearly impossible, especially in clothing, although I try. It takes a lot of searching though.
It is easy for a host nation to put on a facade of compliance, and modern media around the Olympics seem to have this happy, happy don't-look-too-closely attitude to the games. At the same time, it is hard on athletes to make sudden changes in the competition. I remember the various boycotts, which seemed to mostly affect the athletes losing their chance to compete, because the reasons for them were largely downplayed on an international stage.
Moving the games as a whole would have impact, but lower level boycotts don't seem nearly as effective. Unless a huge nation like the US were to boycott. So it does come back to putting pressure on the IOC.
There was a horrible news story a couple of months ago about some guy in Russia gang raped and murdered in a hideous way because he was gay, or suspected of being so, I heard this by chance on the BBC world service, certainly not on the mainstream news service in Australia. Maybe the thing is that people don't really get that this isn't just about prejudice but also about people dying,
Aleksandr wrote: "There's this story about how the IOC and the American Olympic Committee and a number of other bodies were wrangling over Nazi Germany's treatment of Jewish athletes. Eventually, Germany sent a coup..."It's terrifying. Despite the way that someone shrieking "This is just how it started in Germany in the 1930s!" usually makes me roll my eyes (because the comparison is often so ridiculous), there are some striking parallels here. Particularly in the number of thugs who are now openly (and proudly) targeting gay youths in Russia, with the tacit approval of the authorities.
Kaje wrote: "Nearly impossible, especially in clothing, although I try. It t..."I think it's totally impossible here.
Crispy wrote: "There was a horrible news story a couple of months ago about some guy in Russia gang raped and murdered in a hideous way because he was gay, or suspected of being so, I heard this by chance on the..."Oh, I'm sure that there are a hell of a lot of people out there who don't give a crap that gays are getting imprisoned. But yes, it's much worse than that. There was a story on Huff Post a few days ago about gay Russian teens being targeted by gangs of thugs online. They'll pose as a potential boyfriend, arrange to meet up, and then film themselves assaulting and degrading these poor kids. And then they'll proudly post it online, because they're allegedly preventing pedophilia. (Because, as you know, all gay teens grow up to be pedophiles.) It's absolutely abhorrent.
Oh the "look at the Nazis" argument is tired on the internet, but I just did my research on the period, and it was eye-opening (I even went to the Berlin Olympic park for research. :) ).
Crispy wrote: "There was a horrible news story a couple of months ago about some guy in Russia gang raped and murdered in a hideous way because he was gay, or suspected of being so, I heard this by chance on the..."And I forgot to add -- what's very disturbing on the local front too, is that this whole "solution" of sending asylum seekers to PNG (apart from the conditions. I've lived in PNG, and it doesn't have the infrastructure to provide for its own population, let alone refugees. And don't get me started on law and order there...) is that homosexuality is illegal in PNG and you can be imprisoned for up to 14 years.
So being an asylum seeker is bad enough. Being a gay asylum seeker just got worse.
You do feel powerless to do anything though. There is nothing that. I can personally boycott - don't drink vodka, don't drive a Lada etc. Money talks - who are the sponsors of the IOC?
Aleksandr wrote: "Oh the "look at the Nazis" argument is tired on the internet, but I just did my research on the period, and it was eye-opening (I even went to the Berlin Olympic park for research. :) )."I've never been to Berlin...only made it as far as Munich and Frankfurt. From what I saw, Germany is a beautiful country, and I'd love to make it back there one day.
But yeah, in this case, it's really not drawing a long bow to make the comparison at all, is it?
And when will we be seeing the fruit of all this research? Hint hint.
I was very impressed with Berlin overall (despite that stupid heat wave). They did a great job with the Third Reich museums and exhibitions. The book is currently in the works - it's just my motivation has taken a bit of a hit because sales of historicals are really quite poor. There are so many interesting periods and things, but if I'm the only one interested in that, it's just not sustainable in terms of career or sales. Which bums me out. :(
Crispy wrote: "You do feel powerless to do anything though. There is nothing that. I can personally boycott - don't drink vodka, don't drive a Lada etc. Money talks - who are the sponsors of the IOC?"Here's a link to sponsors: http://www.sochi2014.com/en/team/partner
Some big names there: Coke, McDonalds, Visa...
Aleksandr wrote: "I was very impressed with Berlin overall (despite that stupid heat wave). They did a great job with the Third Reich museums and exhibitions. The book is currently in the works - it's just my motiva..."Yeah, I hear you! I love history as well, and I love writing historicals. Definitely a labour of love though. But then I also love researching, and discovering stuff I didn't know...and that moment when you find the perfect research book!
The first thing I do in a strange city is look up all the museums. :)
Thanks. I have an really guilty conscience at the moment cos I bought a Russian babushka doll and a Lenin badge while I was on holiday in Melbourne last week. The whole tourist-must-have-trinket thing must have temporarily short circuited my memory cells.
Crispy wrote: "Thanks. I have an really guilty conscience at the moment cos I bought a Russian babushka doll and a Lenin badge while I was on holiday in Melbourne last week. The whole tourist-must-have-trinket th..."Crispy wrote: "Thanks. I have an really guilty conscience at the moment cos I bought a Russian babushka doll and a Lenin badge while I was on holiday in Melbourne last week. The whole tourist-must-have-trinket th..."
Lol. If that's the shop in the Royal Arcade, I bought a Lenin badge there three weeks ago. And so many other trinkets and associated crap that I didn't need, I had to pay for excess baggage on the way home.
It was that shop in the Royal Arcade! I totally lost it and bought my kids a babushka doll each ( a Simpsons babushka, snicker), and a Lenin badge cos I have a couple already. I went shopping when it was cold.....I am now the proud owner of three new coats and a new wooly scarf. Uhm, I live in Perth, we have winter for a fortnight and summer the rest of the time.
Crispy wrote: "It was that shop in the Royal Arcade! I totally lost it and bought my kids a babushka doll each ( a Simpsons babushka, snicker), and a Lenin badge cos I have a couple already. I went shopping when..."They have great babushkas! And the toy shop next door is pretty awesome as well :)
I bought a coat before I went, but I did end up with a wooly scarf, gloves, and an awesome knitted hat that I will never wear again in my life. I'm in Townsville, and we're having our fortnight of winter right now. You know it's winter here when you think about putting socks on instead of running around in bare feet all day.
Heh, you know it's winter in Perth when it gets cooler at night and in the early morning. Then we all wrap up and pretend to be really freezing. Still, it's a dry cold ;)
Crispy wrote: "Heh, you know it's winter in Perth when it gets cooler at night and in the early morning. Then we all wrap up and pretend to be really freezing. Still, it's a dry cold ;)"Ours too :) And yeah, we whinge about how cold it is when you have to turn the fan off.
This conversational detour is sounding like a certain Monty Python sketch as we outdo ourselves proving how not cold it gets in our respective corners of this wide brown land (Aussie twang). Seriously, thanks for your post, my social,conscience needs to be kept up to the mark at all times, mostly it's nose is stuck in an mm romance not in an activist manifesto, as in its younger days:) Goodnight, Lisa.
Crispy wrote: "This conversational detour is sounding like a certain Monty Python sketch as we outdo ourselves proving how not cold it gets in our respective corners of this wide brown land (Aussie twang). Serio..."A box? You were lucky to have a box. All twelve of us lived in a hole in the middle of the road... or something like that, right?
Goodnight! :)
Aleksandr wrote: "Oh the "look at the Nazis" argument is tired on the internet, but I just did my research on the period, and it was eye-opening (I even went to the Berlin Olympic park for research. :) )."FWIW, I always enjoy a Monty Python conversational detour. :)
But seriously, Lisa's blog post is a major reason why my interest in the Olympics overall died a slow and sad death. Used to re-schedule life and sleep during the 2 weeks or so to catch events live whenever possible (no small feat during early days of cable TV, as well as when international datelines are involved ^.^). Now? Too turned-off by original ideals/symbolism usurped by commercialism, profiteering, and politicking. Beijing being picked for the 2008 Summer Games was the final nail for me.
The reference (reminder?) re: Nazis is somewhat apropos to me only b/c I always take that as a general caution against being too lax or apathetic re: certain situations/events. "Given an inch but takes a mile" and all that. On one of my trips to Berlin, I managed to get in a tour which included the stadium for the '36 Berlin Games. It was eerie to stand on that field (made more so by the foggy day) and think about what history later revealed as already happening at that time.
To tie it to current-day Russia, the overt targeting of homosexuals as "undesirables" makes the Nazi reference perhaps even more apt. IIRC, inmates at Nazi concentration camps ranged from political dissidents to socially undesirables (gays, gypsies) to racially undesirables (namely, Jews). There is a definite difference to Putin from his first term in office, and Russia under the renewed Putin seems to be heading closer and closer to the old Soviet days. :(
Someone on our YA group posted a link to this petition: https://www.allout.org/en/actions/rus...I do not personally know anything about the sponsoring group, AllOut.
Kaje wrote: "Someone on our YA group posted a link to this petition: https://www.allout.org/en/actions/rus...I do not personally know anything about the sponsoring group, AllOut."
Thanks Kaje!
BTW, I completely forgot to come back and post this here. Thought that it was awesomely classy...Wentworth Miller Comes Out: 'Prison Break' Star Reveals He's Gay
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08...
After being invited to attend the St. Petersburg International Film Festival in Russia, the "Prison Break" star decided it was time to go public with his sexual orientation.
"Thank you for your kind invitation. As someone who has enjoyed visiting Russia in the past and can also claim a degree of Russian ancestry, it would make me happy to say yes," the 41-year-old wrote in a letter to the festival's director, which was posted on GLAAD's website. "However, as a gay man, I must decline."
ETA: soon wrote: "BTW, I completely forgot to come back and post this here. Thought that it was awesomely classy...Wentworth Miller Comes Out: 'Prison Break' Star Reveals He's Gay
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/20..."
That is a great link, and an awesome response by Wentworth Miller.
