Russians don’t deserve to host Olympics

The Olympic Games are a time of unity and pride in one’s country. For those living in Russia, however, that might not be the case.

According to the Washington Post, activists are outraged that Russia will host the 2014 Winter Olympics in response to a recently passed bill which imposes anti-gay legislation.

Last time I checked, a law which prohibits people from acknowledging homosexuality is one of the highest forms of discrimination, and Russia should suffer the consequences.

The bill, which Russian President Vladimir Putin signed in June, prohibits nontraditional sexual relationships among minors, effectively isolating gays and lesbians from Russian society.

The bill sparked a debate between gay rights activists and the International Olympic Committee as some believe the Olympic Charter, a document which specifies rules for Olympic host countries, has been disregarded.

The Charter states “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.”

Translation: Discrimination for any reason is inexcusable, therefore – say the activists – Russia’s right to host the Olympics should be revoked.

Not only is the Russian Government intruding in the personal lives of its citizen, such legislation is bound to alienate gay and lesbian athletes competing in the Games, making them feel uninvited and, perhaps, unsafe.

According to The Guardian, these laws have caused increases in anti-gay violence and propaganda in Russia. What will keep that vigilante-like zeal from affecting athletes?

I cannot believe that, in 2013, some strive to make others suffer for something as inconsequential as their sexuality. But the real question is: How should Russia be reprimanded?

One option is to boycott the country, but such an effort would fall deaf to Russian ears as the Games are inevitably bound to happen. Another is for countries who oppose anti-gay sentiment to drop out of the competition, but to do so would only hurt the athletes.

The best option is to take the Olympic Games away from Russia – ban them from hosting the Games until their anti-gay policies have come to an end. This might seem like a tough battle, but believe it or not, it has been done before.

According to the BBC, the International Olympic Committee banned South Africa from hosting the Games in 1964 due to a segregation policy which seized civil liberties from all non-white racial groups.

It has happened before and it can happen again. Life for gays and lesbians in Russia is anything but carefree, and no one should live in a constant state of fear.

A ban on Russia as the host country of the Olympics would serve not only as a consequence, but as a safety net. To bring homosexual athletes into a country whose citizenry does not hesitate to harass or attack sexual minorities would be catastrophic. How could Putin defend the new law if anti-gay violence were to interfere with the Games, potentially injuring – even killing – its participants?

The Olympic Games deserve to be held in a place where all people are welcome, not only those who fit into the ‘traditional’ category of sexual orientation. That’s why the IOC ought to consider passing the torch to a more forward-thinking country, one that considers all human beings as equals.

-Dominique Wald is a senior communication major from Santa Clara, Calif. She can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this Column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of Student Publications.