Austin: Should Canada boycott the 2014 Sochi Olympics?

By:
Jack Austin
/
8 August, 2013
By: Jack Austin
Former Senator from British Columbia, special advisor to Stern Partners Inc

This is a conflict of fundamental values and is a growing threat to the Olympic movement. Think of Nazi Germany in 1936 and its promotion of Aryan supremacy. It could not refuse to have Blacks and Jews compete and was confronted with sports success by their representatives. Otherwise the international and universal rules of the Olympic movement would have been challenged. What will Russia do with homosexuals who are winners at the Sochi Olympics and proclaim their homosexuality? Deport them?

The rules of universality of the Olympic movement are again being challenged. The first line of responsibility is at the doorstep of the national Olympic bodies. Will the U.S. Olympic Committee stand up to its responsibilities? Will the Canadian and other Western Olympic Committees meet their responsibilities?

It’s time for the Canadian and other western Olympic groups to be held accountable. Their respective governments should ask them to take their responsibilities.

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