Women to keep fighting 2010 Olympics ski jumping case

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-02 11:51

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A coalition of women ski jumpers, fighting to be allowed to compete in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, will take their case to Canada's Supreme Court, their lawyer said on Tuesday.

Ski jumping is one of the few Olympic sports not to have both men's and women's competitions. The female athletes, who have lost two lower court rulings, allege their exclusion violates Canadian anti-discrimination laws.

The lower courts ruled the decision on what sports to include in the Winter Games is made by the International Olympic Committee -- not Vancouver organizers - and the IOC's decision cannot by challenged under Canadian law.

"We believe our argument has been misunderstood and that a matter of national importance is at stake," attorney Ross Clark said.

The women filed suit against the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), rather than the IOC, so the case centers on whether the local organizers can be forced by a foreign entity to break Canadian law, Clark said.

The women must first convince the Supreme Court to hear their appeal. Even if the court agrees, it is unclear if it could then hear arguments and make a ruling before the Olympics are scheduled to begin on Feb. 12.

VANOC says it sympathizes with the women ski jumpers, but the decision is beyond its control. VANOC says it will also be very difficult to include a ski jumping competition for the women at the last minute.

The IOC has refused to include ski jumping competitions for women on the grounds there were not enough participants from around the world to qualify it as an Olympic event -- a claim the women dismiss.