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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThink The Sochi Olympics Are A Human Rights Disaster? Things Are Going To Get A Lot Worse
Get ready for Qatar 2022.
by Ben Mathis-Lilley
You may have heard about the anti-LGBT laws passed last month in Russia, which criminalize gay propaganda. You may specifically have heard about these laws in reference to next years Sochi Winter Olympics. Sochi is in Russia, and some advocates believe that athletes (as well as other Russian institutions) should boycott the games to protest the laws. Not every activist agrees on that point, but either way, in a sports world that is increasingly LGBT-friendly, the Russian laws and the wisdom of rewarding a civil rights-hostile country with a prestigious prize like hosting the Olympics will continue to be a huge issue.
A huge issue but perhaps only a small preview of whats coming. The Winter Olympics are a relatively minor sporting event, and these repressive laws were passed recently enough as to make the idea of moving the Olympics impractical. But Russia is set to host the World Cup in 2018. And the World Cup after that is slated to take place in Qatar, where homosexuality is punishable by seven years in prison. Those will be much larger events than Sochi in terms of worldwide audience, in-person attendance, and scope. The Olympics are a two-week event in one location, but World Cups last a month and take place in several cities at once. That means fans and players spending more time in more places.
Which gets at perhaps the central problem that Russia and Qatar have, and a way in which their events could differ from past Olympics and World Cups held under politically controversial circumstances. Because political controversy itself is nothing new for global competitions, of course. Critics of the decisions to hold the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa had plenty to complain about in Chinas human rights and labor records and the South African governments decision to spend huge sums on stadium construction and other preparation in a country with serious poverty issues. The mothers of disappeared and murdered dissidents protested in public when Argentinas military regime hosted the 1978 World Cup. The USSR and United States were considered inappropriate Olympic hosts in 1980 and 1984, and boycotted by giant and mutually exclusive blocs of world governments.
What all those political issues had in common, from Beijing to Los Angeles, is that they did not present any imminent threat to the well-being of athletes or spectators. When the Chinese, American, Argentinian and Soviets acted as hosts, they downplayed their own internal conflicts and charmed their guests. They were trying to win the respect of international visitors, even those from countries with hostile governments. The Cold War-era United States was happy to host Soviet athletes and citizens permanently if they so chose. The Chinese created an impressive, borderline-sublime mass spectacle of an Opening Ceremony as if to make a point to visitors about the benefits of subsuming oneself to society.
The official positions of Russia and Qatar toward LGBT rights make no room for charm or persuasion; a gay man visiting and making his identity known in either of those countries can simply be considered a criminal and prosecuted as such. Even a few years ago, this did not seem, to the relevant authorities in soccers governing body, to be a problem at all. (FIFA president Sepp Blatter, asked in 2010 about Qatars laws, answered glibly that gay World Cup fans should simply avoid having sex during their time in the country.) And why should it have? Not long ago the official laws of even a relatively LGBT-friendly country like the United States prohibited gays and lesbians from marrying or serving in the armed forces. The idea of a world-class gay athlete was only theoretical. To hide ones identity for a month in Russia or Qatar whats so absurd about that, if Americans serving in the army had to do the same thing every day? The reasoning was disappointing, but understandable.
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http://www.buzzfeed.com/bml/think-the-sochi-olympics-are-a-human-rights-disaster-things
enlightenment
(8,830 posts)with a number of like-minded (so I assumed) liberal acquaintances.
Even given the wide variance of liberal thought, I was astonished at the number of these people who either:
*didn't think it was a problem - because "nothing will happen"
*didn't think it was a problem - because "sport shouldn't be political - especially international sport"
*didn't think it was a problem - for vague and unspecified reasons that suggested they are, at the least, uncomfortable with anything LGBT
The first two exhibited a level of naivete that I didn't expect to see in thinking adults and the last was just pathetic - but on the whole, it was disappointing that these sporting events are so important to so many that they couldn't fathom taking a stand against open and blatant human rights violations.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)But I don't think the issue is going to gain enough traction to make anything happen. That truly is the sad part. The three people you talked to pretty much explain why.
It appears there is a huge double standard when it comes to human rights with Russia and China particularly. Then again it also helps that their lack of media keeps it more secretive.