Anamylove

zhanjiao1212 · AnaGod Geregistreerd op: 28 Dec 2018 Berichten: 331

SOCHI, Russia -- IOC President Thomas Bach accused world leaders Tuesday of using the Sochi Olympics as a political platform "on the backs of the athletes," and of snubbing the games without even being invited. Air Jordan 5 Retro Canada . Three days before the opening of Russias first Winter Games, Bach used a hard-hitting speech to call out politicians for using the Olympics to make an "ostentatious gesture" serving their own agendas. Without naming any individuals, Bachs comments appeared directed at President Barack Obama and European politicians who have taken stands against Russias law banning gay "propaganda" among minors. The Olympics, Bach said, should not be "used as a stage for political dissent or for trying to score points in internal or external political contests." "Have the courage to address your disagreements in a peaceful direct political dialogue and not on the backs of the athletes," he said at a ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "People have a very good understanding of what it really means to single out the Olympic Games to make an ostentatious gesture which allegedly costs nothing but produces international headlines. "In the extreme, we had to see a few politicians whose contributions to the fight for a good cause consisted of publicly declining invitations they had not even received." The buildup to the Olympics has been overshadowed by Western criticism of the anti-gay law and Russias record on human rights and other issues, making Sochi among the most politically charged games in years. Obama and key European leaders are shunning the Olympics. Obama, in a clear message against the anti-gay laws, has sent a delegation to Sochi made up of three openly gay athletes -- tennis great Billie Jean King, 2006 Olympic hockey medallist Caitlin Cahow and figure skater Brian Boitano. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. delegation to an Olympics will not include a president, vice-president or first lady. Former Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano leads the delegation. German President Joachim Gauck and French President Francois Hollande are also not coming to Sochi. Neither is British Prime Minister David Cameron. Bach reiterated again that Putin had given the IOC assurances that the Olympic Charter would be upheld during the games and that homosexuals would not be discriminated against. Bach said Olympic values stand against any form of discrimination, including on grounds of sexual orientation. But he stressed the IOC must be "politically neutral without being apolitical" and that athletes must not use the Olympic Village and venues for "political demonstrations." The IOC has come under criticism for not doing more to fight the anti-gay law, but Bach said the committee was a sports organization with limited responsibilities. "We are not a supra-national government," he said. "We are not a superior world-parliament. We do not have a mandate to impose measures on sovereign states." Bachs speech was delivered at a ceremony marking the opening of the IOCs three-day session, or general assembly, ahead of the games. The Germans sharp comments marked a strong contrast with the relatively anodyne, diplomatic speeches of his predecessor, Jacques Rogge. Bach, winner of a fencing gold medal at the 1972 Olympics, was elected in September to succeed Rogge, who served for 12 years. Bach acknowledged there had been "a lot of skepticism in and outside the IOC" when Sochi was awarded the Olympics in 2007. "Now, seven years later, we can see that Sochi, that Russia has delivered," he said. Putin lauded the IOCs decision to bring the games to the Black Sea resort. "We realize what a difficult decision this was to hold the games in a city that barely had 10 to 15 per cent of the necessary infrastructure," he said. "You believed in us, you believed in the Russian character which can overcome all difficulties." "In the space of five years," Putin added, "we built world-class sports venues and city infrastructure that normally takes decades to build." Air Jordan 5 For Sale Cheap . -- LaMarcus Aldridge returned to the Trail Blazers lineup, happy to know that things didnt go awry without him. Jordan Retro 5 For Sale Cheap . Trailing by a goal after 20 minutes of play, Joe Pavelski responded with three goals and an assist as the Sharks snapped a two-game losing skid with a 5-2 victory over the struggling Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. http://www.cheapairjordan5canada.com/ . It will mark the 22nd time the tournament has been held in this country and fourth in Atlanta Canada but will make its first appearance ever in played Nova Scotia.When you win it all, as much as it is an exhilaration, it is also a relief. Its a significant accomplishment in that, for the rest of your life, you can say that, at least once, you were a part of a championship team and you have the physical reality of the ring to show it. You have a unique sense of accomplishment and an internal peace of mind that a journey was completed. With the Saskatchewan Roughriders winning the 101st Grey Cup at home last year, there was a mission accomplished mentality that began a year ago in May 2013. But what now? How do you put history behind and concentrate on the present with the same drive and dedication you held previously? Very few teams repeat and, in some ways, it is a mystery as to why. The talent changes and the coaching changes but why is it so hard to recreate? Mainly because it is not always the teams with the best talent that win as much as it is the team with the players that are at their best working together. Winning teams have exceptional unselfish chemistry, losing teams never achieve that very esoteric feeling. The challenge for the Riders is more about creating a similar feeling as much as it is playing to a high level consistently; a vague challenge hard to define and even harder to recreate. What is easy to assess is the stability in the organization on many levels but first and foremost, financially. I am old enough to remember the public telethon created about 20 years ago to save the Riders. Now that is a distant memory of painful circumstances that youthful Rider fans would have trouble comprehending. At this point in CFL history, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are a story of extreme business and football success in that, if you make the right decisions, what seems impossible to overcome is more adversity than inevitability. The positives going into the year are the continuity with Cory Chamblin back as head coach with an extended contract, Brendon Taman back in management with an extended contract and Darian Durant back with a third extended contract. Air Jordan 5 For Sale Canada. . On the opposite side is the absence of RB Kory Sheets and SB Weston Dressler, who were two impact players. Both may be back, or not, but that unknown is uncontrollable so you move on. Another tough moment was RB Jock Sanders going to Calgary. Though he did have injury issues, the Riders lost a player who will play against them a least three times this season and that is the most difficult personal transitions to overcome. Last year, Saskatchewan finished second in points scored with an average 28 per game and second in rushing with 128 yards per game. On the other side of the ball, it was even better. They were first in fewest points allowed, second in both second downs converted and most 2-and-outs forced on an opponent. They also finished the season tied with Calgary in takeaway/giveaway at +19. Weaknesses? Not much other than finishing seventh in red zone offence and fifth in red zone defence. The only other factor or priority improvement is pass defence that allowed 252 yards per game, fifth best in the league. All this considered though, the good outweighs the bad, dramatically. I dont think the challenges for Rider football are the tangibles such as people, places and things as much as they are the intangibles of perception, opportunity awareness and living in the present moment; allowing the past to be the past and playing with energy for the future. It is a good team that needs to improve and that truth has to be in the forefront in all players minds. Calgary, BC and Edmonton will be better and on edge to be the best because they were not at their best last year. Can all the Rider players respect the past and dismiss it as pride of that was then, this is now? Or will the success of yesterday limit the urgency of today? It is not a physical issue, it is mental. Rise to the moment of today, and only today. If they do, what happened last year can happen again. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '