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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama, Biden, Top U.S. Officials To Stay Away From Sochi Olympics
WASHINGTON The United States will not be sending any of its top officials either President or Mrs. Obama or Vice President or Dr. Biden to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, as part of its delegation to the games.
A former federal official, Janet Napolitano, will instead be leading the U.S. delegation, the White House announced Tuesday. In addition to the Obamas and Bidens not attending the Olympics, no current cabinet members will be a part of the countrys delegation either.
The highest ranking officials in the delegation will be Rob Nabors, the assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for policy, attending the opening ceremony, and William J. Burns, the deputy secretary of the State Department, leading the delegation at the closing ceremony.
The news came with less than two months until the opening ceremony is slated to take place on Feb. 7, 2014, and signaled the continued U.S. disagreement with Russias anti-LGBT laws and other human rights concerns.
The Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will include Napolitano; Nabors; Michael A. McFaul, the United States ambassador to the Russian Federation; Billie Jean King, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, member of the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, as well as a former Olympic tennis coach; and Brian A. Boitano, an Olympic gold medalist in figure skating.
More at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/top-us-officials-will-be-staying-away-from-sochi-olympics
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)because Russia had invaded Afghanistan.
Funny sad that in retrospect.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Unless that's a deliberate slap in Russia's face.
JackBeck
(12,359 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)The women's hockey player is out as well.
DURHAM D
(32,610 posts)DevonRex
(22,541 posts)Good that the State Dept will have a rep there. Who knows? Might be some Russian LGBT athletes who want/need asylum in the U.S. Especially if they have adopted children who might be wrenched away from them by the Russian govt. I hope and pray it's not too late to get some of those families out. Good god, the fear they must be enduring! Breaks my heart.