Women ski jumpers have been grounded after a B.C. court denied their appeal but they say they’re fine with men still getting their chance to soar at next year’s Olympics.
The B.C. Court of Appeal ruled Friday that VANOC is not in breach of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by staging only men’s ski jumping at the Games. In the women’s original lawsuit, they asked that both sexes be allowed to jump or that the men be grounded as well.
Spokesman Deborah Folka said the 14 plaintiffs don’t plan to protest at the Olympics: “We will not do anything to take the dignity of events from other athletes,” said Folka.
She said that a very slim possibility of the women being allowed to jump rests with the International Olympic Committtee. “We will not make it to the 2010 Olympics by legal means, but there is still the possibility that the IOC changes its mind,” said Folka.
VANOC responded that “(it) remains supportive …. of having women’s ski jumping added to the roster of future Olympic Winter Games.”
