Women ski jumpers lose court bid to be included in 2010 Winter Olympics

Women lose court bid to ski jump in Vancouver

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The British Columbia Supreme Court has ruled against a group of women ski jumpers fighting to be included in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The group confirmed in an e-mail to The Canadian Press on Friday that the court did not rule for the jumpers. The court’s full decision was not immediately available.

The 15 former and current women ski jumpers went to court in April to argue their exclusion from the Vancouver Games violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

They wanted a court declaration that the Vancouver organizing committee, VANOC, must either hold women’s ski jumping in 2010 or cancel all ski jumping events.

One of the legal points at issue was whether the Charter applies to VANOC.

VANOC argued the government didn’t have enough control over the committee for the court to consider providing the games as a government service, meaning the Charter doesn’t apply.

VANOC also argued that the International Olympic Committee decides which sports are included at an Olympics and the IOC isn’t governed by Canadian law.

The IOC says the women are being prevented from competing at the games because they didn’t meet Olympic criteria, not because of gender bias.