The Olympic Committee just said they don't think Russia is violating the Olympic Charter –even though Russians are facing anti-gay arrests, violent attacks, and exclusion.
Olympic host nations are supposed to obey seven principles and Principle 6 says discrimination of any kind is not allowed.
But, the Olympic Committee is now acting like lesbian, gay, bi and trans people just don’t count.
Equality doesn't work like that, so their position needs to be clear.
Can you take two minutes to send a quick email to the new Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and ask him if lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are protected by Principle 6?
Click to get started:
www.allout.org/email-olympics-pres
Principle 6 says: "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."
If the Olympic Committee gives Russia a pass on discrimination against millions of its own people, it will shield President Putin from the mounting global pressure to repeal the damaging law.
It also makes it easy for him to ignore the brutal wave of anti-gay violence in Russia. That's why we need them on the record right now.
The Olympic Committee is accountable to us – the spectators, athletes, and customers of their billion-dollar sponsors. If thousands of us email new Olympic president Thomas Bach now, we can put him on notice. If he won't answer our question, millions of us could even take the fight to the corporate sponsors, forcing them to step in.
Send an email directly to the Olympic Committee through All Out's website:
www.allout.org/email-olympics-pres
Together, we gathered in 33 cities across the world to put Russia’s anti-gay crackdown in major global newspapers –and led to the British Prime Minister raising the issue personally with Russian President Putin at one of the most important meetings of world leaders this year.
Right now, President Putin is being protected by the Olympic Committee because they seem to think lesbian, gay, bi and trans people don’t count – can you join in and demand answers from them now?
www.allout.org/email-olympics-pres
Dazu ein Artikel von der Washingtonpost :
"IOC: No grounds to challenge Russian anti-gay law as Sochi Olympic Games approach":
www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/ioc-backs-off-on-russian-anti-gay-law/2013/09/26/38b39266-269c-11e3-9372-92606241ae9c_story.html
Thanks for going All Out.
Andre, Hayley, Jeremy, Marie, Sabelo, Sara, Simón, Wesley and the rest of the All Out team.
P.S.:Cameroon update:
Over 65,000 All Out members have signed a petition asking the President of Cameroon to accept new United Nations recommendations to protect all people in his country, no matter who they are or who they love.
We're sending him every signature telling him stop the murder, arrest and severe discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bi and trans people - but it's not too late to join in today.
Sign now:
www.allout.org/cameroon-attacks
