The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has announced that moving forward, prospective host cities will have to a agree to a new anti-discrimination clause as part of their contract to host the games. The new clause references Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter, which rejects “any form of discrimination… on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender, or otherwise.” The IOC has previously clarified that “otherwise” includes sexual orientation.
IOC Sports Director Christopher Dubi stated in a letter that the new requirements “are the result of the experience gained by the IOC in previous editions of the Olympic Games.” The IOC will now take into consideration “potential concerns for candidate cities and future host cities” and “certain comments made by the candidate cities.”
The change follows significant controversy over Sochi, Russia hosting the games this year, given that Russia has passed numerous anti-LGBT laws, including a ban on “gay propaganda.” In fact, activists were concerned about the safety of LGBT athletes as far back as early 2012, when a Russian judge upheld a decision not to allow a “Pride House” in the Olympic Village. The Olympic Committee assured athletes that they would be safe, but simultaneously helped Russian officials defend their anti-gay laws.
Russia eventually agreed to an Olympic Truce that included language promoting “social inclusion without discrimination of any kind,” but without any specific references to LGBT people. The IOC claimed to be “fully satisfied” by Russia’s assurances not to enforce its anti-gay policies during the games — which it didn’t — but President Vladimir Putin also banned all “gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, marches, and pickets” for a period of more than two months around when the Olympics were taking place.
Groups like All Out and Athlete Ally have engaged in a “Principle 6” Campaign, raising awareness about LGBT athletes and encouraging the IOC to take more proactive approaches to being LGBT-inclusive. In August of 2013, they delivered over 300,000 petition signatures to the IOC, urging the organization to condemn Russia’s anti-gay laws.
Despite the lack of significant incident during the Sochi games, Russia’s laws remain unchanged. Just this week, the country’s Constitutional Court ruled that the law banning “gay propaganda” is not unconstitutional because its only aim is to protect minors from the promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships.
Upcoming Olympics are taking place in Brazil (2016), South Korea (2018), and Japan (2020). Though LGBT people do not enjoy full legal equality in these countries, none has laws that specifically target LGBT people for persecution.