Women excluded from the 2010 Olympic Games

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1963447,00.html

The Olympic games are a time of celebration where patriotism for one’s nation is seated next to good sportsmanship and friendly relations with other nations. It is a time to celebrate our athlete’s ability and admire the talent of athletes who are not from our country. Yet, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics does not evoke these feelings for a few possible Olympic athletes. The Women Ski jump does not exist in the Olympics and is the only sport where women are not permitted to compete.

Women ski jumpers have tried to get admittance into the games since the 1998 Nagano games. The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has denied them their opportunity for what it says a number of reasons. It is important to note that the 1991 notice that stated that all future Olympic sports must be opened to all-men and women, however the 1991 notice did not pertain to already existing sports, thus that is why ski jumping has not been opened up to women. The many arguments that have been given include: Host cities can only hold so many athletes- “when new events are introduced it reduces the number of athletes able to participate in other events, women’s ski jumping does not reach the necessary technical criteria and because of this does not warrant a place in the Olympics.” As the article states all these arguments can be refuted. There are at least 100 FIS-sanctioned ski jumpers and from that at least 30 top tiered jumpers from 11 different nations, so there is enough interest in the sport for it to be reasonable for the Olympics to add it to the games. Top ski jumper, Lindsey Van holds the record for the longest jump for both women and men! Thus the technicality issue is discredited.

There is clear discrimination going on and British Columbia Supreme Court agrees. “In April of 2009, Van and nine other female jumpers sued the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for violating the on gender discrimination in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.” Even though the court agrees they said they cannot do anything because the Olympic Games is an international organization and are not required to obey Canada’s laws and VANOC has no authority to tell them otherwise.

On top of all this, there are a lot of hidden undertones and threats coming from IOC members when talk about adding the sport to the next games. “IOC member Dick Pound said… ‘If in the meantime you’re making all kinds of allegations about the IOC and how it’s discriminating on the basis of gender,’ he warned, ‘the IOC may say, Oh yeah, I remember them. They’re the ones that embarrassed us and caused us a lot of trouble in Vancouver, maybe they should wait another four years or eight years.’’’ This is a threat, women are just trying to obtain their rights and compete and IOC is embarrassed and is hurting these women for voicing and exercising their rights. It seems every Olympic games has some sort of scandal and this year is no different. In the light of celebrating our athletes talents a sense of despair and complete discrimination.

All of the authors of our readings would be outraged by what is happening to this could be-should be Olympic female ski jumpers. From first wave to second wave to the now perceived third wave, they would all agree these women are being mistreated and excluded from a world where they do belong! First wave feminist worked hard to give women the right to vote so that they could participate in decision-making and have a voice. Second wave took it another step farther and demanded women be admitted in the work force and not in just secretarial or “female acceptable” roles and positions. They wanted out of the house and to be included and accepted into the labor force. Eventually their dream came true and by working within the system they began to change they’re destiny and the future for all women to follow. The ski jumpers are following suit and are trying to work within the system to acknowledge their right to be included in the games and to pave the way for future women ski jumpers. They work just as hard as the men and should be given the same respect and credit as their male counterparts. Unfortunately for these women there is no real system in which they can go to. International organizations are really under no jurisdiction and do not have to abide by any laws but their own.

It has to be incredibly frustrating for these women to know that they have the talent capability and are not given their rightful time to shine and show off all their hard work. Here is an example where working within the system does not work, partly because there is no system. So these women have to take other measures to obtain their rights. They are already doing this by going to news stations and media and raising awareness to their plight. If enough of the outside population feels compassionate and makes steps to help these women then perhaps there will be enough pressure on the IOC to change the current situation and finally admit women into the sport.