Isinbayeva's IOC fate yet to be decided - Rogge

Google - AFP, Pirate Irwin, 5 Sep 2013

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)

The controversial law was signed by President Vladimir Putin in June and has prompted calls for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

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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