Jacques
Rogge speaks during a press conference in Buenos Aires
on September 04, 2013
(AFP, Daniel Garcia)
|
BUENOS
AIRES — Russian women's pole vault great Yelena Isinbayeva could yet be
stripped of her status as an International Olympic Committee (IOC) ambassador
after the organisation's president Jacques Rogge said Wednesday they were still
debating what to do about her.
Isinbayeva,
the double Olympic champion, whipped up a storm last month when after winning
her third outdoor world title in Moscow she endorsed a controversial new
Russian law.
The law
bans "homosexual propaganda" to minors -- although Sports Minister
Vitaly Mutko said it also sought to protect the young from alcohol and dpole
cualtersrugs -- a vague piece of legislation that is seen as an instrument for
a crackdown against gays.
"We
consider ourselves like normal standard people -- we just live with boys with
women, women with boys," Isinbayeva said in English -- comments that she
later said may have been misunderstood.
Russia's
Yelena Isinbayeva celebrates
after winning the women's pole vault
final in
Moscow on August 13, 2013
(AFP/File, Franck Fife)
|
Rogge, who
steps down after 12 years as president on September 10, said in his final solo
press conference he had received clarification from the Russian Government that
the Olympic Charter -- which forbids discrimination against anyone whatever
their sexuality, religion or colour -- would be respected.
However, he
refused to back Isinbayeva, who is also Mayor of one of the two Sochi Athletes
Villages having been appointed by the Russian Olympic Committee in December
2014, with respect to whether she would be retained as an ambassador -- a role
she was given by Rogge in 2010.
"We
will consider it (her ambassadorial role) in due time," said the
71-year-old Belgian.
Rogge, who
has had a largely successful spell in charge, said the IOC could not be
criticised for avoiding being tougher with Russia over the legislation nor that
it had a history of not wielding the organisation's moral authority on
countries hosting the Games when it was required.
"One
should not forget we are holding the Games in a sovereign state and we have no
involvement in their internal affairs," he said.
"With
regard to using our moral authority, we have clearly on various occasions
expressed our views on situations in countries but I would add we are
restricted in what we can say or do as we are a guest in another country."
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