Sports Diplomacy News 09/02/2013 – 09/15/2013

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6 years ago

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Sports Diplomacy News

09/02/2013 – 09/15/2013

09/03/2013 – As candidates of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were running for presidency, a reaction to Russia’s anti-gay legislation from the institution was expected. Minky Worden from Human Rights Watch has called the IOC to consider human rights issues and finances equally when awarding future Olympic Games. IOC leaders have reaffirmed that they are only a sports organization and that their remit is limited to the scope of the Games.

09/11/2013 – Former American figure-skating champion Michelle Kwan has been hired by the State Department. She will be the first public diplomacy envoy working for the U.S. government. She told journalist and world affairs expert Nicholas Kralev that when she made that transition, “[she] looked back at her career and realized [she] was engaged in citizen diplomacy for many years”, focusing on connecting people and improving mutual understanding.

09/11/2013 – The U.S. have decided to soften their sanctions against Iran for disaster relief and sports. One may see a potential goodwill gesture in the American position. Sports exchanges will be allowed again and could ease tensions. Analysts have criticized the sanctions as they hurt Iranian citizens in their daily life. Anyway, the improvement of the situation will mainly depend on the forthcoming meetings between American and Iranian diplomats on Tehran’s nuclear pogram.

09/11/2013 – Despite ongoing tensions between South Korea and Japan, leaders from the Olympic committees from both countries have expressed their willingness to cooperate in the field of sport. The president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, Tsunekazu Takeda and his South Korean counterpart have agreed on mutual help for what he has called a new Olympic era in Asia. The 2018 Winter games will be held in Pyeongchang. Tokyo will host the Summer games in 2020.

09/12/2013 – Following his trip to North Korea, ex-basketball superstar Dennis Rodman announced that he would not say a word about politics. “Ask Obama, ask Clinton” he said when asked about the fate of American prisoner Kenneth Bae. However, he has recently announced that he would try to send other basketball stars to North Korea in the future. National Geographic has interviewed Susan Pittman from the U.S. department’s bureau of educational and cultural affairs about this unofficial diplomacy initiative.