IOC Downplays Pescante Comments; Sochi Tickets; SportAccord Speakers

The IOC has restated its stance on discrimination at Sochi 2014 in the wake of controversial remarks by Italian IOC member Mario Pescante.

The chair of the IOC’s international relations commission blasted the USA Wednesday for including openly gay athletes in its official delegation attending the Games.

"It's absurd that a country like that sends four lesbians to Russia just to demonstrate that in their country gay rights have [been established]," Pescante was quoted as saying by Italian media including Gazzetta dello Sport, at an NOC meeting. "The Games should not be an occasion and a stage to promote rights that sports supports daily."

The 75-year-old later told the Associated Press that he was not against gays. "I just wanted to make the point not to let politics interfere with the Olympics," he was quoted by AP.

IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in a statement to Around the Rings: "The IOC is strongly against discrimination and we believe the Games are a fantastic chance to show how athletes from around the world with different views and backgrounds can live together."

Pescante’s comments were directed at a U.S. delegation that includes three openly gay athletes - tennis legend Billie Jean King, figure skater Brian Boitano and hockey player Caitlin Cahow.

Sochi 2014 Dismisses Ticketing Troubles

Sochi 2014 rejects reports saying organizers are struggling to sell all its tickets for the Games.

Bloomberg and Russian media outlets reported Thursday that about 30 percent of tickets remain unsold just three weeks before the Games opening, raising the possibility of empty seats at venues.

The Ria Novosti news agency said tickets for 73 medal events, most in the higher price category, were still available via the online booking system, including for all Alpine skiing events and the men’s hockey bronze medal game.

Sochi 2014 president and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko was quoted as saying more than 70 percent of all tickets had been sold and a "special quota" was being held back for sale in Sochi itself.

Sochi 2014 confirmed in a statement to Around the Rings that around 70 percent of tickets had been sold and that sales would be spurred by the just-opened main ticketing centers in Moscow and Sochi.

"Tickets are being snapped up fast with the most popular events being hockey, biathlon, figure-skating, free-style, and snowboard," Sochi 2014 told ATR.

"With the opening of another ticket center in Krasnodar at the end of January, we are expecting strong last-minute ticket sales."

Speakers Announced for SportAccord

International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson and freerunning pioneer Sebastien Foucan lead the field of speakers for this year’s SportAccord Convention, which will take place April 6 to 11 in Turkey.

Cookson, who was elected to the top UCI post last year, will give a keynote speech with the theme "Sport’s New Frontiers."

Foucan, meanwhile, will give his thoughts on the importance of self-expression in sport. Afterward, he will demonstrate the skills that landed him a role in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale.

"We are putting an emphasis on dialogue in this year’s conference," SportAccord moderator David Eades, a BBC World news anchor, told Around the Rings, "and our speakers will be looking forward to interacting with the attendees in their sessions."

Written by Nick Devlin and Mark Bisson

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