Outrage Continues Over Russian Gay Law; Talk of Games' Move

Richard Socarides writes for The New Yorker, and points out several factors mobilizing gay rights throughout the world.

Additionally, Socarides says that the Sochi Olympics will "test gay rights," in light of a controversial anti-gay law recently past.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/08/a-test-for-gay-rights-in-sochi.html

According to an editorial in The Vancouver Sun, Russia’s long history of human rights violations "should have been taken into consideration long before it was awarded 2014 Winter Games."

http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/Does+anti+justify+Sochi+Olympic+boycott/8760227/story.html

The Vancouver Sun’s Jeff Lee dismantles calls for the 2014 Games to move to Vancouver, site of the 2010 Olympics.

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2013/08/08/why-vancouver-wont-get-russias-anti-gay-2014-olympic-games/

Calls have also been made for the Games to go Salt Lake City, 2002 host. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the city will "almost certainly not" host the 2014 Winter Olympics. However, logistically speaking, could the city stage the Winter Games? "Answers range from no doubt to no chance."

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56702941-78/lake-salt-games-host.html.csp

Gay sports commentator Cyd Zeigler says a more powerful response to Russia’s law would be to "ban Russia from their own Winter Olympics."

http://www.outsports.com/2013/8/6/4592208/ban-russia-winter-olympics-gay-lgbt-boycott

When apartheid was on the books in South Africa, "sport was able to very publicly isolate a country that granted voting power and human rights according to skin pigmentation alone." A column in The Brisbane Times draws comparisons to apartheid and Russia’s "homophobic" policies, saying the new Russian law is "worth a boycott."

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/russias-homophobia-worth-a-boycott-20130807-2rgs5.html

In an op-ed for the Advocate.com, Michelle Garcia discusses why dumping Russian vodka isn’t enough.

Garcia says first steps in protesting Russia’s anti-gay policies such as Facebook posts and dumping Russian booze effectively call attention to the issue but will not "stop Russia from jailing and deporting LGBT travelers."

http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2013/08/07/op-ed-why-russias-vodka-dump-isnt-enough

The Interpreter says Sochi boycott campaigns focus on foreigners’ safety, but the real issue "is the lives of LGBT citizens of Russia, who live in an increasingly hostile environment." Issued faced by LGBT citizens in Russia will "sadly continue long after the tourists have vacated Sochi’s glittering monuments to sport and embezzlement," according to The Interpreter.

http://www.interpretermag.com/its-time-to-reconsider-the-sochi-olympics/?fb_action_ids=785056997342&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%22785056997342%22%3A628326777200855%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22785056997342%22%3A%22og.recommends%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

With six months to go until the Sochi Olympics, CBC Sports features facts of the Games, and encourages Canadian Olympic fans to interact via social networks.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/community/opinion/2013/08/sochi-social-6-months-to-go.html

Agence-France Presse reports that are keeping their focus on the Beijing 2015 athletics world championships, not the Moscow edition starting on Saturday.

http://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1294805/chinese-athletes-head-moscow-one-eye-beijing-2015

A new generation of U.S. track stars will likely come from the Moscow world champs.

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/sports/article_5b313a9c-21ac-554d-a067-bcb68ec092d8.html

International Sports Press Association president Gianni Merlo writes in La Gazzetta dello Sport whether the SportAccord United World Championships will be "a dream or a nightmare for the IOC."

From the outside, Sport Accord President Marius Vizer’s proposed United World Games appears to be "preparation for an assault to the Olympic juggernaut."

http://www.aipsmedia.com/index.php?page=news&cod=11441&tp=n

The 2012 Summer Olympics in London "leveled the playing field" for women in sports – "for 17 days."

CNN revisits highlights from London 2012 or the event dubbed "the Women’s Games" and wonders why equal coverage for women’s sports has not continued following the Games.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/07/sport/london-olympics-attar-douglas-women/index.html

The Guardian asks whether Olympic success for boxers foreshadows their success in professional boxing.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming won his second professional fight against Jesus Ortega in Macau last weekend.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/queensberry-rules-boxing-blog/2013/aug/08/olympic-boxers-gold-medals-professional-titles

United States swimming legend Michael Phelps leaks information to TMZ – apparently he and most of his Olympic swimmers are "pool pe-ers."

http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/07/michael-phelps-pee-pool/

Australia’s Ian Campbell and Brazilian Joao Carlos de Oliveira were viewed as the two best jumpers in the world when they were competing.

However, at the 1980 Moscow Olympics nine of the pair’s 12 jumps in the triple jump final were judged to be fouls. The Guardian reports on Ian Campbell’s rise to and fall from Olympic glory.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/aug/07/ian-campbell-triple-jumper-moscow-olympics

Compiled by Nicole Bennett.

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