Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Top court spurns Olympic women ski jumpers

Female ski jumpers have lost their battle to compete at the Vancouver Olympics in February. The Supreme Court of Canada announced Tuesday it will not hear an appeal by the athletes. The top court, as usual, gave no reasons for its decision. The women contend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms governs the Games and that Vancouver organizers are breaking the law by hosting only men's ski jumping. They were seeking leave to appeal two lower-court rulings that said the charter cannot dictate which sports are included in the Winter Games. The lower courts ruled the charter does not apply to the International Olympic Committee, which made the jumping decision. With the Games less than two months away, the women had hoped the Supreme Court would expedite the case. The women launched a lawsuit against local organizers in May 2008.

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