Should Russia be allowed to host the 2014 Winter Olympics?

[ladiesman217]

For those of you who don't know, Russia has recently (some time this year) introduced anti-gay laws. Now the extent of these laws I am unsure of, however the amount of violence and hate towards homosexuals in Russia is nothing short of abhorrent.

Stephen Fry has called on the UK Prime Minister to support a campaign to have Russia stripped of the right to hold these games over these new laws. He said: "Beatings, murders and humiliations are ignored by the police. Any defence or sane discussion of homosexuality is against the law".

In recent weeks, calls for a complete boycott of these games has been rising in the USA amid fears that these laws could lead to violence or mistreatment of gay/lesbian athletes and spectators.

I for one absolutely agree that Russia should be stripped of the right to hold the Winter Olympics. Any sort of anti-gay law is disgusting and should be condemned to the largest extent possible.

[Magicman]

No matter who hosts any sporting event there will always be those who object on some grounds or other.
Sometimes these grounds are very solid and we should stand up and be counted.

So yes I do believe that Russia should be sanctioned in some manner or other regarding their treatment of homosexuals.
These sanctions shouldn't just be within sport but other areas that might concern them more, such as commerce and trade.

It is quite possible that some interests in other countries wish to cause trouble for Russia and would therefore promote this motion of stripping Russia of the Winter Olympics 2014 on any grounds that they thought might succeed.

I well remember the Moscow Olympics where the US boycotted the Games because Russia (then USSR) had invaded Afghanistan. Did they really support the poor people in Afghanistan? or was it just a ploy............. "Hypocrisy" comes to mind.

Same now...................some countries might support this idea of stripping Russia of the 2014 Games but then if it suited them do similar with their laws regarding homosexuals. Gay bashing is rife in the Southern States of the US but they will still call for a boycott anyway.

Again I wish to say that I agree that any anti homosexual laws are disgusting and should be condemned outright.

But we should also look to see who else is on the band-wagon and what hymn sheet he is playing his music from.

MM

[Jaygoodtimes]

In short yes they should be allowed to host it, Russia is alpha as fuck !

And a thing about the gay/lesbian community is they are trying to strive for equality yet they are determined to have their own olympics which will single them out even more. if your spending your time trying to be different then of course you will be singled out

[10inchesandcounting]

This is a little bit late for that now, and There is too much money involve for this to happen.
But I agree, in this time and age, it is a disgrace for a country that wants to call itself civilised to support this line of actions.

[Stephanie]

No matter who hosts any sporting event there will always be those who object on some grounds or other.
Sometimes these grounds are very solid and we should stand up and be counted.

So yes I do believe that Russia should be sanctioned in some manner or other regarding their treatment of homosexuals.
These sanctions shouldn't just be within sport but other areas that might concern them more, such as commerce and trade.

It is quite possible that some interests in other countries wish to cause trouble for Russia and would therefore promote this motion of stripping Russia of the Winter Olympics 2014 on any grounds that they thought might succeed.

I well remember the Moscow Olympics where the US boycotted the Games because Russia (then USSR) had invaded Afghanistan. Did they really support the poor people in Afghanistan? or was it just a ploy............. "Hypocrisy" comes to mind.

Same now...................some countries might support this idea of stripping Russia of the 2014 Games but then if it suited them do similar with their laws regarding homosexuals. Gay bashing is rife in the Southern States of the US but they will still call for a boycott anyway.

Again I wish to say that I agree that any anti homosexual laws are disgusting and should be condemned outright.

But we should also look to see who else is on the band-wagon and what hymn sheet he is playing his music from.

MM

Reading your post something popped into my mind -- though it may seem totally unrelated.

In past societies when there was wide spread social discontent, political leaders often deliberately found groups of

citizens to single out (Jews both in Nazi Germany, and in Stalinist Russia -- or to go even further back : the Pogroms under

Czarism, and even the wide spread anti-semitism in Western Europe all through the ages.) , in order to give the citizenry an

outlet for their pent up frustrations. I believe that is what Putin is doing now, but singling out gays in place of Jews.


I think it is wholly wrong and inexcusable in this day and age, with our understanding of homosexuality, to discriminate in

any fashion.

Should Russia be stripped of the priviledge of hosting the Olympics ? If it could be done, it might make a good example for

other nations of what not to do, but I also think that if it came to pass, it would breed tremendous resentment on the part of

not only those in power in Russia (Putin and cohorts), but also on the part of the common Russian person.


Re the US : in my opinion we have some of the most progressive laws and attitudes re homosexuality.

"Gay bashing is rife in the Southern States of the US.." -- really ?

[ladiesman217]

In short yes they should be allowed to host it, Russia is alpha as fuck !

And a thing about the gay/lesbian community is they are trying to strive for equality yet they are determined to have their own olympics which will single them out even more. if your spending your time trying to be different then of course you will be singled out

Hold the phone, this isn't just a gay/lesbian olympics. It is THE 2014 Winter Olympics. How exactly are they singling themselves out? Where the hell did you get the idea they were having a special gay/lesbian Olympics?

Sorry Jay but I'm disappointed in you from that post. Homosexuals are literally condemned in Russia. Beaten, murdered, etc and the police over there ignore it all simply because they are gay.

[NoBrain2]

The world athletics championships are going on in Moscow as we speak, don't think there have been any problems so far

[ladiesman217]

The world athletics championships are going on in Moscow as we speak, don't think there have been any problems so far

And long may that continue.

[Dub Lad]

Politics shouldn't influence whether or not Russia should be stripped of hosting the games. You have bad governments all around the world that try and get involved in a very negative way, do you remember the Nigerian football team got arrested because they did so bad in a world cup? Politics shouldn't influence sports but it does sadly, look at the world cup in brazil the government made a bad choice there putting FIFA first instead of it's people.

[ladiesman217]

Politics shouldn't influence whether or not Russia should be stripped of hosting the games. You have bad governments all around the world that try and get involved in a very negative way, do you remember the Nigerian football team got arrested because they did so bad in a world cup? Politics shouldn't influence sports but it does sadly, look at the world cup in brazil the government made a bad choice there putting FIFA first instead of it's people.

But this isn't just politics, this is discriminatory violence towards gay people. I hate saying this but in a way it's 'legal murder', because the authorities just ignore all acts of violence/murder against homosexuals.