SOCHI, Russia -- IOC President Thomas Bach accused world leaders Tuesday of using the Sochi Olympics as a political platform "on the backs of the athletes," and of snubbing the games without even being invited.
K.J. Wright Jersey . Three days before the opening of Russias first Winter Games, Bach used a hard-hitting speech to call out politicians for using the Olympics to make an "ostentatious gesture" serving their own agendas. Without naming any individuals, Bachs comments appeared directed at President Barack Obama and European politicians who have taken stands against Russias law banning gay "propaganda" among minors. The Olympics, Bach said, should not be "used as a stage for political dissent or for trying to score points in internal or external political contests." "Have the courage to address your disagreements in a peaceful direct political dialogue and not on the backs of the athletes," he said at a ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "People have a very good understanding of what it really means to single out the Olympic Games to make an ostentatious gesture which allegedly costs nothing but produces international headlines. "In the extreme, we had to see a few politicians whose contributions to the fight for a good cause consisted of publicly declining invitations they had not even received." The buildup to the Olympics has been overshadowed by Western criticism of the anti-gay law and Russias record on human rights and other issues, making Sochi among the most politically charged games in years. Obama and key European leaders are shunning the Olympics. Obama, in a clear message against the anti-gay laws, has sent a delegation to Sochi made up of three openly gay athletes -- tennis great Billie Jean King, 2006 Olympic hockey medallist Caitlin Cahow and figure skater Brian Boitano. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. delegation to an Olympics will not include a president, vice-president or first lady. Former Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano leads the delegation. German President Joachim Gauck and French President Francois Hollande are also not coming to Sochi. Neither is British Prime Minister David Cameron. Bach reiterated again that Putin had given the IOC assurances that the Olympic Charter would be upheld during the games and that homosexuals would not be discriminated against. Bach said Olympic values stand against any form of discrimination, including on grounds of sexual orientation. But he stressed the IOC must be "politically neutral without being apolitical" and that athletes must not use the Olympic Village and venues for "political demonstrations." The IOC has come under criticism for not doing more to fight the anti-gay law, but Bach said the committee was a sports organization with limited responsibilities. "We are not a supra-national government," he said. "We are not a superior world-parliament. We do not have a mandate to impose measures on sovereign states." Bachs speech was delivered at a ceremony marking the opening of the IOCs three-day session, or general assembly, ahead of the games. The Germans sharp comments marked a strong contrast with the relatively anodyne, diplomatic speeches of his predecessor, Jacques Rogge. Bach, winner of a fencing gold medal at the 1972 Olympics, was elected in September to succeed Rogge, who served for 12 years. Bach acknowledged there had been "a lot of skepticism in and outside the IOC" when Sochi was awarded the Olympics in 2007. "Now, seven years later, we can see that Sochi, that Russia has delivered," he said. Putin lauded the IOCs decision to bring the games to the Black Sea resort. "We realize what a difficult decision this was to hold the games in a city that barely had 10 to 15 per cent of the necessary infrastructure," he said. "You believed in us, you believed in the Russian character which can overcome all difficulties." "In the space of five years," Putin added, "we built world-class sports venues and city infrastructure that normally takes decades to build."
Neiko Thorpe Jersey .Y. -- The Montreal Canadiens have had few reasons to celebrate this season as they have been mired near the basement of the Eastern Conference.
Tyler Ott Jersey . The team said they will announce a corresponding roster move prior to their series opener on Tuesday night in Kansas City.SUNRISE, Fla. -- It took a trip to sunny South Florida to cool off the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tim Thomas made 20 saves, Brian Campbell had two assists and the Florida Panthers beat Toronto 4-1 on Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak. The Maple Leafs had won three straight in frigid Toronto and were 9-1-1 in their last 11 coming into the game. Tom Gilbert, Jesse Winchester, Shawn Matthias and Marcel Goc scored for the Panthers. David Clarkson had the goal for Toronto, and Jonathan Bernier stopped 44 shots. Florida made it 3-1 with 6:38 left when Matthias wrist shot from the right circle beat Bernier on the short side. Goc added an empty-net goal with 2:30 remaining. Every skater on the Panthers had at least one shot on goal. "It was probably our best game of the year," Matthias said. "It was an exciting game for us." Toronto closed to 2-1 on Clarksons goal in the third period following a turnover by Tomas Kopecky in the Maple Leafs zone. Nazem Kadri stole the puck from Kopecky and passed to Clarkson, who beat Thomas at 9:31. "When you score a goal like that and you have a couple shifts where youre moving the puck and getting the puck into their zone, weve shown were a team that can come back from that," said Clarkson, who returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an elbow injury. "We didnt come to play right away tonight." Just when it appeared the Maple Leafs might make a comeback, the Panthers scored twice on Matthias goal and then the empty-netter. "I think it was pretty solid," Panthers coach Peter Horachek said. "Even when there was down time and the game was going the other way, momentum shift, we took it back pretty quickly." The Panthers stretchhed their lead to 2-0 on Winchesters goal at 5:21 of the third.
Duane Brown Jersey. Scott Gomez made a drop pass to Campbell and his shot from the right circle deflected off Winchester and over Bernier into the top of the net. Campbell was originally credited with the goal before an official scoring change after the game gave it to Winchester. The Panthers had a goal disallowed about a minute later. A shot by Erik Gudbranson was initially ruled a goal, but video review showed the puck hit the post, went across the crease and tight-roped the goal line but never crossed it. While the Panthers felt it was one of their best games of the season, it was the opposite for some Toronto players. "Theres no excuse for the way we played," Maple Leafs forward Mason Raymond said. "Weve had a few tough games this year but nowhere near this bad." The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on Gilberts power-play goal at 1:14 of the second. Gilberts shot from the point got past Bernier, who was screened on the play by Floridas Scottie Upshall. The power-play goal was only the Panthers second in their past 53 opportunities. The Maple Leafs started slow, did not register their first shot until 7:19 in and were outshot 19-4 in the first. "We didnt have anything going except one person in the lineup is outstanding for our hockey club, and that was our goaltender," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. "We didnt seem to have any jump or passion to play the game and its kind of mind-boggling right now." NOTES: James van Riemsdyk, fighting the flu, flew in Tuesday morning to join the team in time to play in his 300th NHL game. ... Kadri has three goals and five assists during his four-game point streak. ... Gilbert has 12 points in his last 17 games.
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