As part of the new contract, a host city would be required to commit to the part of the official Olympic Charter that states: "Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."

 

Gay rights group All Out said the move was "a significant step."

 

"(It) sends a clear message to future host cities that human rights violations, including those against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, will not be tolerated," argued Andre Banks, co-founder and executive director of All Out. "This is a particularly important moment for the world’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens who face discrimination and persecution not only in Russia but in countries all over the world."

 

Hudson Taylor, Executive Director of Athlete Ally, added: "By adopting a non-discrimination clause into its host city contracts, the IOC is showcasing its own realization that we must protect the rights of every athlete to live free and openly."

 

Call us skeptical, but are we the only ones concerned that sexual orientation isn't actually written into the contract? This gives the IOC a little too much wiggle room to award the Games to potentially homophobic hosts in the future.

 

Olympic anti-discrimination clause introduced after Sochi gay rights row [The Guardian]