CTV.ca | Politicians jump into Olympic gender debate

CTV.ca | Politicians jump into Olympic gender debate: "The pressure is mounting against the International Olympic Committee to allow women ski jumpers to compete at the 2010 Winter Games.

The IOC claims the sport falls short of basic standards for inclusion as a sport at the Games, therefore, it voted against including women ski jumping in 2010. There is a similar competion for men.

Deedee Corradini, the former mayor of Salt Lake City, the site of the 2002 Games, says women ski jumpers just want fair play for both men and women.

'The time is now for Canada to make history because this could be the first Winter Olympic Games that are gender neutral,' Corradini said at a press conference on Saturday.

Corradini says it's up to Canadian politicians - as hosts of the 2010 Games in Vancouver and Whistler - to put pressure on the IOC to change its policy.

Some politicians have already jumped into the fray. David Emerson, the federal minister in charge of the 2010 Olympics, says he doesn't agree with the policy of excluding women from the event.

'Ski jumping is an important sport and we're investing a lot in jumping and training facilities in Canada and to not have women able to participate on the same basis as men, to me, I just don't think it's right,'' he said just before leaving on a trade mission to Asia.

Harry Bains"