The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed on Friday a bid by women ski jumpers to force Vancouver Olympic organizers to let them compete.
The women were appealing a lower court ruling that allowed organizers to hold a men’s ski jumping competition but not a women’s event — something the women argued violates Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Games are less then three months away and the appeals court made the ruling after hearing two days of arguments.
The women had asked the courts to rule that the organizing committee, known as VANOC, must either include a women’s ski jumping event in next February’s games or cancel the men’s event.
Vancouver organizers say the charter doesn’t apply because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the decision not to include a women’s event.
“The Canadian court system is a bit weak if it can’t stand up to the IOC,” American jumper Lindsey Van said. “They can just do whatever they want. It’s scary.”
VANOC issued a statement welcoming the decision.
“We appreciate the court’s time and careful consideration of these complex issues,” John Furlong, CEO of VANOC, said in a statement.
“With 91 days remaining until the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, we must remain focused on our preparations to stage the 2010 sport program as set out by the International Olympic Committee, including a men’s ski jumping event,” he said. “We remain supportive of these remarkable young women and of having women’s ski jumping added to the roster of future Olympic Winter Games.”
Ross Clark, the lawyer representing the women, said he was disappointed, but would wait to read the decision before deciding on further action. The case could be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada.
“There’s a lot of hurdles to that,” he said.
The ruling by the appeals court upheld the lower court ruling that said while the Games are a government activity and subject to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it’s the IOC that decides which sports are included and that it is not subject to the charter.
The IOC voted in 2006 not to include women’s ski jumping at the Games, saying the sport had not met the required technical criteria, though it will be on the program for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two