Int'l Olympic Committee Could Add Anti-Discrimination Clause To Bid Rules

Future Olympic bidders "may have to abide by a specific anti-discrimination rule modelled on the Olympic Charter's Principle 6 if they are to be awarded the Games," according to Karolos Grohmann of REUTERS. Principle 6 said sport "does not discriminate on any grounds, including race, religion, politics or gender." IOC President Thomas Bach "has launched a wide-ranging review of the Olympics as well as the bidding processes called Agenda 2020." Pressure "has grown" to include such a clause in the bid rules for future Olympics that would "block nations from getting the Games if discriminatory laws existed." Current and former athletes, including former tennis champion Martina Navratilova as well as pop star Rihanna, "are among the big names to have publicly spoken out in favour of Principle 6." Int'l gay rights group co-Founder and Exec Dir Andre Banks said, "IOC President Thomas Bach must learn the lesson from the anti-gay fiasco in Russia and ensure this never happens again" (REUTERS, 2/18).