Olympic Committee approves inclusion of sexual-orientation protection in charter

by Craig Takeuchi on December 8th, 2014 at 2:06 PM

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In the wake of the Sochi Olympics, the International Olympic Committee has voted to include sexual orientation in its non-discrimination principle.

At the 127th session of the IOC in Monaco, the IOC unveiled their Olympic Agenda 2020 on December 8.

Recommendation 14, "Strengthen the 6th Fundamental Principle of Olympism", states that the IOC will "include non-discrimination on sexual orientation in the 6th Fundamental Principle of Olympism".

IOC members voted unanimously to approve the principle to now read:

The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Olympic Charter shall be secured without discrimination of any kind, such as race, color, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

This wording will be included in host city contracts between the IOC and future city hosts.

Vancouver city councillor Tim Stevenson, who is openly gay, headed a delegation that traveled to Sochi during the 2014 Winter Olympics to meet with the IOC to include a provision against discrimination against sexual orientation in the Olympic Charter. Stevenson attended the Olympics in place of Mayor Gregor Robertson as a representative from the previous host city.

Vancouver city council voted unanimously in December 2013 to send Stevenson to advocate for LGBT rights.

The Sochi Olympics became a flashpoint for concerns about Russia's antigay legislation passed by the Russian federal government in 2013.

City halls across Canada raised rainbow flags for the duration of the Sochi Olympics in solidarity with LGBT athletes.

rook76/Shutterstock

The IOC's approval comes on the heels of the Canadian Olympic Committee announcing support for LGBT athletes in an agreement with antihomophobia groups You Can Play and Egale Canada on December 2.

The organizations will support athletes who want to come out.

Athletes will also visit Canadian schools to talk about LGBT issues as a means for addressing homophobia.