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VIDEO: IOC approves Sochi Games despite Russian anti-gay 'propaganda' laws

IOC chairman Jean-Claude Killy told reporters Russia's 2014 Winter Games will not violate the Olympic Charter.
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A stamp for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi


The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has given its seal of approval to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, after finding Russia's anti-gay laws don't violate the rules laid out in its charter.

Jean-Claude Killy – the former French World Cup alpine skiier and current IOC commission chairman – made the announcement on Thursday.

"The Olympic Charter states that any segregation is completely forbidden, be that on the grounds of race, religion, colour or other, on the Olympic territory," Killy told reporters. "So this will be the case, we are fully convinced.

"Another thing I'd like to add is: the IOC doesn't have the right to discuss the laws that are in place in the country hosting the games, so unless the charter is violated we are fully satisfied."

Russia's infamous new law (signed in June) prohibits anyone from publicly supporting the country's gay community and outlaws what it terms "gay propaganda".

With Thursday's announcement, the IOC has stated that Russia's laws don't infringe on the Olympic Charter's laws... but is that what the Charter says?

Here is a paragraph from the Olympic Charter (reported by Canada.com's Lauren Strapagiel), in as force from Sept. 9, 2013:

"Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."