Question Details

Will any athlete be punished for making political statements during competition or ceremonies?

Will any athlete be punished for making political statements during competition or ceremonies?

Asked by: Super Userkruijs in Sports » Olympics
Settled on 02/24/2014 22:06 Settled by Super Userkruijs
Winning option:No Before the Sochi Games, a number of Olympic athletes pointedly spoke out against Russia's controversial gay 'propaganda' laws. The law mandates fines for speaking in defense of gay rights or saying gay relationships are equal to heterosexual ones in front of minors.

Once the Games got under way, the public criticism all but went quiet.

There were no high-profile proactive statements or blatant symbolic gestures by athletes. A few athletes criticized the law when asked by reporters to weigh in, and a Belgian performer who supports gay rights displayed rainbow colors, a symbol of the gay-rights movement, during her performance at the Games.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303880604579400691299231818

Predictions

Yes
Yes
No
No

Background

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said on Tuesday (AEDT) athletes could make political statements if they so wished at press conferences during the forthcoming Sochi Winter Olympic Games but not during the events themselves.

The run up to the first Winter Games in Russia - which get underway in the Black Sea resort on February 7 - have been mired in controversy amid corruption allegations, terror threats, and a Russian law banning gay propaganda among minors.

However, the 60-year-old German, who was elected as Jacques Rogge's successor in Buenos Aires last September, said as with every Games, athletes could be punished if they made political statements or gestures during competition or at a medals ceremony, but were free to say whatever they wished at the press conferences.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-28/sochi-athletes-can-protest-in-press-conferences3a-thomas-bach/5221770

Germany premiered the colorful uniforms for its Sochi Winter Olympics team with a runway show in Düsseldorf. The show has prompted reaction in Germany not only because of its bold design, but because many people are reading it as a silent form of protest against Russia's anti-gay laws.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-olympic-uniform-for-sochi-seen-as-pro-gay-protest-a-925756.html

Find similar: olympic games, gay, russia, sochi, ioc

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   Super Userkruijs

An openly gay women's ski jumper says protests against Russia's law banning homosexual "propaganda" aimed at minors aren't worth it because "no one cares."

Daniela Iraschko-Stolz of Austria, who is a gold-medal favorite in the women's normal hill, married partner Isabel Stolz last year.

"I don't think it's a good idea to make protests here, no one cares," she said after training Sunday. "I know Russia will go and make the right steps in the future and we should give them time."

http://espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2014/skijumping/story/_/id/10426869/2014-sochi-olympics-gay-ski-jumper-says-protests-russia-not-worth-cares

   Super Userkruijs

Netherlands’ Ireen Wust celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Women’s Speed Skating 3000 m.

Wust claimed a speedskating gold medal at her third straight Winter Olympics, knocking off defending champion Martina Sablikova in the 3,000 meters Sunday. That made the Netherlands 2-for-2 at Adler Arena, the world’s dominant speedskating nation living up to his billing through the first weekend in Sochi. Wust became the first openly gay athlete to win a medal at the Sochi Games, pulling in gold. She is one of just seven openly gay athletes competing at the Sochi games, amid anti-gay controversies swirling in Russia and highlighted on the world stage for the games.

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/02/09/gold-for-speedskater-is-first-openly-gay-athlete-to-medal-in-sochi/

   Super Userkruijs

Meet the 7 openly LGBTI athletes braving Sochi!

President Putin has unwittingly propelled the LGBTI community into the spotlight with his anti-gay laws.

With the Winter Olympics launching today (7 February), the handful of openly gay athletes competing in Sochi will not only be concerned about their sporting performance, but also for their personal safety.

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/meet-7-openly-lgbti-athletes-braving-sochi310114

   Super Userkruijs

Meet the 7 openly LGBTI athletes braving Sochi!

President Putin has unwittingly propelled the LGBTI community into the spotlight with his anti-gay laws.

With the Winter Olympics launching today (7 February), the handful of openly gay athletes competing in Sochi will not only be concerned about their sporting performance, but also for their personal safety.

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/meet-7-openly-lgbti-athletes-braving-sochi310114

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