12 ▼ augu st 19. 1994 ▼ ju s t o ut
national news
Coventry
Cycle ( Ì
w orks
Olympics flee
Cobb County
Organized pressure from gay and lesbian groups
and a former Olympic star prompt the move
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he 1996 Olympic vol
leyball games will not
be held in Cobb
County, Ga.— where
commissioners
passed and continue to support a
homophobic resolution. Pressure
from gay and lesbian groups and
form er O lym pic star Greg
Louganis prompted the Atlanta
Com m ittee for the Olympic
Games to move the event.
Gay and lesbian residents of
Cobb County formed the Olym
pics Out of Cobb Coalition, with
the goal of removing the presti
gious Olympic competition from
the county.
Last year, the local govern
ment of Cobb County passed a
resolution condemning same sex
orientation. Specifically, the reso
lution says the so-called “gay
lifestyle” is incompatible with the
com m unity’s standards. The
county commission had refused
to rescind the measure, despite
mounting opposition from resi
dents and the Olympic commit
tee.
In late July, the Olympic com
mittee announced that no part of
the 1996 games will take place in
Cobb County. Preliminary vol
leyball competitions were sched
uled to be held in the county,
which is near suburban Atlanta.
The total pull-out followed an
attempted compromise between
gay activists and the commis
sioners. However, the commis
sioners repeatedly refused to re
Greg Louganis
scind the resolution, and also
voted down a compromise resolution offered last
month.
Commissioner Bill Byme said, “I resent the
Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games using
the media to pressure us.” He added, “We can
withdraw the [compromise] proposal and tell
ACOG to find another
place.”
The National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force ap
plauded the O lym pic
committee’s action. Ex
ecutive Director Peri Jude
Radecic said, “We com
mend the Olympic com
mittee for taking this prin
cipled stand and agreeing
that Cobb County does not
deserve the honor of host
ing the Olympic games.”
She added, "It would have been an international
disgrace to host the multicultural Olympics in a
county where bigotry and prejudice are pro
claimed through anti-gay resolutions.”
“Most communities in this country would
embrace the historic opportunity to host the Olym
pic Games. Instead, Cobb County Commission
ers have proclaimed that their No. 1 priority is
anti-gay prejudice.” Radecic said.
T
Four-time Olympic gold medalist Louganis
was among many who protested when Cobb
County was selected as the site for volleyball
competitions. In July, Louganis received the Rob
ert J. Kane Award, given by the U.S. Olympic
Committee to honor athletes who have succeeded
at the U.S. Olympic
Festival and who con
tinue to support ath
letics in their sport.
L o u g an is d ed i
cated the award to Dr.
Tom Waddell, former
Olympic athlete and
founder o f the Gay
Games. Waddell died
from complications of
AIDS in 1986.
“The U.S. Olym
pic Committee has al
ready sent a strong message to all Olympic ath
letes by giving the Robert J. Kane Award to an
openly gay athlete,” Louganis said before the
decision was made to pull out. “Now they should
reinforce that message by encouraging the At
lanta Committee for the Olympic Games to move
the volleyball preliminaries to a venue that is
open to all athletes, including gay and lesbian
athletes.”
“It would have been an
international disgrace to
host the multicultural
Olympics in a county where
bigotry and prejudice are
proclaimed through
anti-gay resolutions. ”