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Skins campaigns against ‘hypocrisy’ of IOC awarding winter games to Russia

Screen Shot 2014-02-05 at 2.38.45 PMPure Sport, a platform created by sports wear company Skins, is leading a campaign challenging the International Olympic Committee’s decision to award the 2014 Winter Olympics to Russia.

The campaign #IOC (International Olympic Contradictions) will highlight what Pure Sport says is the “hypocrisy and contradiction” within the IOC. It will unfold across primary social media channels for the duration of the games.

There has been international concern at some aspects of Russia’s hosting of the games, including recent laws concerning homosexuality and the treatment of black sportspeople in the country.

Pure Sport  will roll out a series of messages via its Twitter account highlighting “how fundamental Olympic principles have been compromised and certain social groups left isolated, by the staging of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi”. Further information has been made available on the Pure Sport website.

The messages will include key elements from the IOC charter as well as quotes from officials, with one of the messages to be released quoting the IOC’s declaration that it will “act against any form of discrimination affecting the Olympic movement”.

Skins’ chariman Jaimie Fuller said in a statement: “There is no doubt that the IOC’s decision to go to Sochi is seen as dangerously divisive on a global scale and also as severely damaging to the credibility of the Olympic Movement. So what we’re saying is that this simply cannot be allowed to happen again.

“There is a responsibility to ensure that the world’s major sporting events operate in a wholly unrestricted environment that is inclusive of all groups, irrespective of colour, race or sexual orientation.”

The brand has a total of 25 partner athletes taking part in the games, including athletes from Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Great Britain and Togo.

“Sport should be showing the world that restrictive practices based on such principles are deplorable, but in going to Sochi, the IOC has actually endorsed policies of discrimination and restraint,” said Fuller.

“To hand a hosting opportunity to a regime which operates in contravention of the basic Olympic ideals is completely unacceptable and we’re standing up in full support of those who are affected and in full support of the true spirit of competition.

“Pure Sport aims to highlight the inconsistencies which discredit the sporting movement as a whole and in this case, while we cannot undo what has already been done, we can help to apply the sort of pressure that ensures the IOC – and any governing body for that matter – practices what it preaches. The custodians of world sport must conduct its affairs in a way that ensures sporting competition is fully inclusive and completely fair.”

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