No 2024 Olympics For Boston

Back in January the USOC selected Boston as the official bid city for the United States, rejecting the other shortlisted cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington DC. Atlanta was the most recent US host city for the Summer Games in 1996. Unless the USOC digs back into their shortlist, the next shot for the US to host will be 32 years after the Atlanta games. Next year's Summer Games will be hosted by Rio De Janeiro.

USOC Warns Athletes: Don't Protest

"At the end of the day, the International Olympic Committee is very clear that what's great about the Olympic experience is that it brings people with different points of view together. They're there to compete. They're not there to talk about their politics or their religion or anything else. So for us, we really just want the attention focused on our athletes and their great competitions. We're hoping that our athletes feel very comfortable speaking their minds before they go to the Games. But when they get to the Games, that's really the time to focus on sport." - Scott Blackmun, CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, speaking to ESPN.

Italian IOC Member Slams U.S. For Sending "Four Lesbians" To Sochi

Italy's senior IOC member today denounced the United States for including gays in its delegation to Sochi. Via Sports Illustrated:

"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),'' Mario Pescante said at an Italian Olympic Committee meeting in Milan on Wednesday, in comments widely reported by Italian media. ''The games should not be an occasion and a stage to promote rights that sports supports daily." The Italian Olympic Committee would not confirm or deny Pescante's comments, but his speech was reported by the Gazzetta dello Sport and the ANSA news agency. Asked for clarification later by The Associated Press, Pescante said he is not against gays. "Of course not," the 75-year-old Pescante told The AP by telephone. "I just wanted to make the point not to let politics interfere with the Olympics."

Actually, the US is sending two lesbians and Brian Boitano. The USOC has refused to comment on Pescante's statements.

TIMES SQUARE: Queer Nation Crashes USOC Press Event For Sochi Olympics

The protesters were interviewed by some of the media in attendance, so mission accomplished. More photos.  USA Today reports on the protest.

About two dozen protesters tried to disrupt the U.S. Olympic committee's 100-day countdown event Tuesday in Times Square. Yelling "Homophobia's gotta go" the protesters unfurled banners that said "don't buy Putin's lies " and "boycott homophobia" while Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls spoke to a crowd of bystanders, news media and sponsors. The USOC event marked 100 days until the first competition in Sochi where Russia's anti-gay law has drawn ire from gay rights groups. "It's a violation of human rights,' said Duncan Osbourne, a member of Queer Nation NY which organized the protest. The demonstration was " thrown together" when the group learned about the USOC event two days ago. "We're saying stay out if Russia. It's not safe. Don't spend your money there. Put more pressure on Putin," said protester Bill Dobbs.

TOMORROW: Queer Nation Vs USOC

Details here.

LGBT Groups Slam USOC

The Human Rights Campaign and All Out are criticizing the United States Olympic Committee, who last week added sexual orientation to their non-discrimination policy.

From the HRC:

“We welcome the news that the USOC has added sexual orientation to the non-discrimination policy in its code of conduct, and hope this is a sign of more good things to come. However, given the fact that the very same code of conduct requires that athletes adhere to foreign laws, this new non-discrimination policy becomes moot the second athletes arrive to Sochi,” HRC vice president of communications Fred Sainz told BuzzFeed.

From All Out:

“Despite their best intentions, the USOC non-discrimination policy and the IOC’s Charter will be toothless as long as Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law remains in place. The USOC and IOC should press for the repeal before the 2014 Sochi Games,” Andre Banks, the executive director of All Out told BuzzFeed. “It’s not too late. China made serious concessions ahead of Beijing to ensure the [2008 Olympic] Games were consistent with international standards and Russia should not be exempt from doing the same.”

The USOC: "We do not think it is our role to advocate for a change in the Russian law."

US Olympic Committee Adds Sexual Orientation To Non-Discrimination Policy

The United States Olympic Committee today amended its official non-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation.

At his annual address to the USOC Assembly on Friday, CEO Scott Blackmun said the federation is not in the business of trying to influence Russian policy. “The fact that we do not think it is our role to advocate for a change in the Russian law does not mean that we support the law, and we do not,” Blackmun said. The board passed the measure Thursday, a week after chairman Larry Probst, a new member of the International Olympic Committee, said he would support a similar change to the IOC Olympic charter. Currently, it does not mention sexual orientation as a form of discrimination. With the Sochi Olympics less than four months away, Blackmun said the USOC is seeking clarity from the IOC on what will and won’t be regarded as violations of the IOC rule against using the Olympic stage to make political protests or demonstrations.

Blackmun added that the USOC has given American athletes the freedom to express opposition to Russia's anti-gay laws "however they see fit." But that freedom ends when the Games begin. (Tipped by JMG reader Dwight)

Petition Of The Day

Over 30,000 signatures so far.

USOC Clarifies On Russia

More on this at Buzzfeed.