Olympics Committee Wants The Games Out Of Russia In 2014

WASHINGTON — The International Olympic Committee should punish Russia by moving the 2014 Winter Olympics out of Sochi, Russia, the co-chairs of the congressional House Georgia Caucus said.

Reps. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa., and Bill Shuster, R-Pa., said in a joint statement they plan to file a resolution declaring that Russia's movement of troops into Georgia on the eve of the Beijing Olympics makes it an unacceptable country to host the games.

"It is practically and financially untenable to hold the 2014 Winter Olympic Games less than 20 miles from a zone of conflict, particularly when the prospective host country has played a significant role in the escalation of that conflict," according to a draft of the resolution.

IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said Friday the IOC believes the Olympics games are "not a tool to be used by politicians."

"It is premature to make judgments about how events happening today might sit with an event taking place six years from now," Davies said in a statement, adding that 35 representatives from the Sochi 2014 are in Beijing observing the games.

The head of the Sochi organizing committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, said in a statement that the members of the panel are aware of the intended resolution and only the IOC can respond to such matters.

"All our efforts here in China are spent on learning from these wonderful Beijing Games so that we can enhance our offer for the Olympic movement," Chernyshenko said. "At Sochi 2014, our focus is to deliver an excellent and innovative Games that will inspire the world. We are on track to achive this."

On Friday, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said he signed a cease-fire agreement with Russia that protects his country's interests despite concessions to Moscow.

The two lawmakers said here that they plan to file the resolution when Congress reconvenes after the August recess.

"Russia must realize that its actions in Georgia will not be ignored by the international community," Schwartz said.

Sochi was selected last summer as the location for the 2014 Olympics.

___

Steve Wilson in Beijing contributed to this report.

Comments

[chinationreport]

Here is a touching article:
Dreamers from death zones:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/18/content_6945587.htm


From:
http://www.chinationreport.com/#EditorsChoice

[leduck]

wow...,
now we know where the HuffPo stands.....

i tracked down the original AP story
"lawmakers want olympics out of Russia"

other titles from other Papers:
"Shuster wants 2014 winter olypics out of Russia"

"house committee questions Russia as host of winter games"

HUFFPO
"olypmics committee wants the games out of russia in 2014"

Spin form HuffPo no doubt

huffpo wants people to think that the international community backs the U.S.
and not Russia..., that's not true

at any rate..., this is a very misleading title and it's probably deliberate spin from HUFFPO

[PaPaPeng]

Russia has the Georgia situation well under control. There is not much the US or anyone else can do about it. Has it not ocurred to the US that the events in Georgia has the tacit support of the rest of the world excepting of course the US and perhaps the former Soviet satellite states. Since Russia has things under control the rest of the world is wisely silent on the matter. This is not because they are cowed but because it is a favorable outcome and coming out in support of Russia earns unecessary enemity of the US and complicate diplomatic relationships with the others. The US cannot act unilaterally anymore. Bring this issue before the UN and you will find how little support there is for the US even among those who should be your (US) closest allies.

[leduck]

it's the neocons who pushed the tuff talk in the U.S.
of course, the crazy neocons wanted more then tuff talk
and our stupid msm

but, i doubt paleocons and dems want anything to do with the matter

[chrispyc1211]

Seriously.
I know it's been said by everyone above me, but who could have possibly written/allowed this headline? I was stunned at first, and then... whoop, it's just two senators. And, obviously, the IOC objects.
If you at least said "IOC weighs options" or something, while misleading, it's not the exact opposite of the organization's stated position. You didn't just leave out a word, here.

I can only hope it wasn't an intentional error.

[instagladiator]

I agree completely. This is outrageous reporting or has HuffPo resorted to Faux style reporting?

Note:
"IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said Friday the IOC believes the Olympics games are "not a tool to be used by politicians."

This statement should have been emphasized and highlighted.

[PurplePhase]

This site doesn't hire the brightest bulbs in the business :)

[cbates]

Do you think that the Georgian leadership got confused when told or asked to do an October surprise and they thought they (JM and his lobbyist) said August surprise?

[ojim]

STOP! with these misleading headlines. It is becoming a shameful habit.

[Doppler]

I agree. This headline is one of the worst. It implies that the IOC is actively deliberating something that it clearly is not.

Wishful thinking, perhaps, but not the reality. Bad bad bad journalism.

[cardineau]

Pathetic ... both ... Huffpo's headline and these two members of congress. How much more cringing am I going to have to endure because I had the misfortune to be born in this country?.

[helloworld2008]

Shame on Allyson Schwartz for playing along with GOP fear/warmongering.

[cardineau]

Pathetic ... both ... Huffpo's headline and these two idiotic members of congress. How much more cringing am I going to have to suffer thru just because I had the misfortune of being born in this country?

[cfarer43]

Headline is completely misleading and false! Read it again!

[jupitor]

Georgia started this, and Russia needs punished? Insane world we live in, isn't it?

[Fight4USA8]

That is why we have to stop these two insane lawmakers or kick them out of Congress, before they start World War III.

[bryansmith]

yeah, it should have said members of congress want Russia out. WTF?

[ojim]

It is yet another misleading headline. This ought to stop.

[biwee]

Is Schwartz a NeoCon??

[Fight4USA8]

This is the one of the best sites to find who is who in USA and around the world. Check it out.

http://www.nndb.com/

[overdahill]

Are these two House reps also on the Caucasus Caucus?

[HeevenSteven]

What are they gonna do to us for invading Iraq?

[Agnim]

Damn whiners!

Should the Olympics selection committee disqualify Chicago 2016 bid for US UNPROVOKED invasion and mass slaughter of hundreds of thousands of INNOCENT Iraqis?

Instead of recognizing yet ANOTHER bush bungle, and US culpability in the genocidal invasion of Ossetians, we continue to hide our wrongs. This only allows the spoiled bush to screw up over and over and over again, and take the nation on the steep path towards the abyss.

The war in Afghanistan was left to simmer while the Iraq bush war was commenced.

The Afghan and Iraq bush wars are left to simmer while bus starts another war with Ossetians and Russians. (Georgians did not move without US 'go ahead')

Only, this time the US is up against a foe that DOES have nukes and will stand up the the bullying bush!

[SeanHannity4Obama]

This is nonsense. China is sitting on Tibet!