So, World Masters Championships for 2015 are now scheduled to be held in Kazan, Russia. I, for one, am appalled at yet another event being held in a country with legislated homophobia. Isn't it bad enough that the IOC has allowed this travesty?
In my opinion, USMS needs to take a stand about this and ensure that ALL USMS members can attend events safely, with their families, and without fear of persecution or prosecution. Russia is not a safe place for our LGBT members and allies to do so.
Thoughts?
Despite supporting equal rights for all I have never understood why sporting events should become the platform upon which political and social injustice are protested. I hate the injustice being demonstrated by the Russian government but why should athletes boycott a sporting event like the world masters championship? In my opinion boycotting the Olympics in 1980 had no affect, and boycotting the masters worlds will have no affect either. The only people who directly are affected by boycotts are the athletes who miss out on the opportunity to compete. I support the cause but not the solution you are proposing.
But we ARE talking about those very athletes. If I were an LGBTQ athlete, I would not feel safe competing in that environment, and for our organization to participate is an endorsement of segregating and leaving out a percentage of our membership in a way that I cannot abide. ALL of our members should feel safe and free to participate, something that cannot happen in this setting. Where then, is the fairness and spirit of equal competition?
Boycotting the Olympics and boycotting the FINA Championships are 2 totally different things.I think Olympic boycotts are a terrible idea as this article says better than I can www.cracked.com/.../ .Boycotting the 1980 Olympics is indirectly responsible for each country getting only 2 swimmers per event.The IOC and FINA shouldn't reward Russia with big events,but they do.While I have tremendous respect for athletes,I can't say the same about the ruling bodies. In the FINA championships, competitors will be spending their own money and putting it into this disreputable system. Vote with your pocketbook,don't go!!!!!!!!!
First of all, this thread should not be in the swimming-related section. It is a politically and socially charged topic that only tends to create heated rhetoric.
That all being said, read the mission statement of USMS. It is a fitness and education organization, not a political front. It would be a huge mistake for USMS to take an official stand on the decision of FINA, no matter how reprehensible it may seem (and FINA has made some stinkers).
If you have a personal issue with the location, or your political action group has some issue, feel free to write a letter to FINA and complain. What makes you think that USMS should take a stand at all on your behalf, or for that matter, for any group other than USMS?
Allen has it right, if you don't like it, don't go. Leave USMS out of it. It had no say in the decision, it has no sway to get FINA to do, cancel or change anything. Actually, no one does.
I I agree, Kazan is not the place for WOrld Masters. I'm in no position ($)to travel internationally (I'll barely make it to Montreal this summer) so it's no great sacrifice for me to say I won't be going to Kazan, but even if I could afford it, I wouldn't want to go to a place where my brothers and sisters didn't feel safe. No way.
The comparison to the 1980 Olympics doesn't really hold since no one is telling USMS swimmers they can't go - I'm just hoping that not many do.
Think that having events such as these, including everyone, may truly affect homophobic laws/cultures/religions/countries that have laws against homosexuality. I think what changed US views are the brave people who came out, spoke up, showed up, despite archaic laws! With the IOC's decision, have there been many problems with Russia's laws at the Olympics? In many ways, the international, public media exposure can be educational to less open cultures...and maybe even freeing to those who may have to hide their private sexuality in those countries!
If wanting to ensure the safety and security of all athletes is an agenda, then I guess I'm guilty. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a PAC for that. ;)
Sad that even this kind of thing becomes political :(
