In a small courtroom packed to overflowing, a determined group of women ski jumpers from around the world launched their landmark court challenge yesterday to be included in next year's Winter Olympics.
Although improbably slight in stature, the young ski jumpers have created a leap in public interest in their relentless quest to realize their dream of vying for Olympic gold.
They compete in the only sport at the Winter Games restricted to men, and they accuse Vancouver Olympic organizers of violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by excluding them.
"This is a very historic day," declared Deedee Corradini, the jumpers' leading advocate and former long-time mayor of Salt Lake City, host of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
"It's been an uphill battle for five years ... but we are cautiously optimistic that women will be jumping in Vancouver 2010," said Ms. Corradini, president of Women's Ski Jumping USA, speaking to a sea of jostling reporters and TV cameras on the courthouse steps.
"There's no question in anyone's mind that this is blatant discrimination ... and this may finally bring us to some kind of parity and equality in the Olympics for the first time in history."
In affidavits and in person outside court, the young women told of their heartbreak at training alongside their male counterparts but not having the same right to compete at the Games.
"It just hurts not to have that opportunity," said current women's world champion Lindsey Van of the United States. "We train so hard, but the men are allowed in and we are not. It's very disappointing."
Canadian champion Zoya Lynch is taking a year off, after the constant grind of training, school and taking on VANOC became too much.
"It's been really frustrating. I thought VANOC and the Canadian government would not allow the Olympics to exclude women's ski jumping, because Canada prides itself on gender equality," she said yesterday. "So when I heard [that we were out] it was really surprising and very disappointing."
In court, lawyer Ross Clark, representing the women ski jumpers, referred to an affidavit from Slovenian ski jumper Monica Planinc, who said her former coach had threatened to keep her off the national team if she persisted in being part of the case.
VANOC argues that the decision to leave women's ski jumping out of the 2010 Games was made by the International Olympic Committee, which is outside the Charter's jurisdiction, and local organizers are bound by IOC dictates in staging the Games.
Besides, adds VANOC in its written legal presentation, there was no discrimination in any event, since the IOC based its decision on the failure of women's ski jumping to meet certain criteria, and the Games have done more for women's sport than any other sporting organization.
Ms. Corradini said a legal victory for the women ski jumpers would undoubtedly pave the way for boxing to be opened to women competitors at the London Olympics in 2012. "It will be a precedent for that. Absolutely," she said. Boxing is the lone summer Olympic sport still closed to women; the IOC is scheduled to consider the matter in August.
In his opening remarks, the women's lawyer, Mr. Clark, said VANOC organizes and stages the Games and cannot hide behind the IOC. His clients' equality rights under the Canadian Charter have been violated, he said, because there are three ski jumping events for men in 2010 and none for women.
"VANOC's obligations under the Charter cannot be outsourced to an outside authority [the IOC]with a thin, impoverished view of equality."
Mr. Clark said the historic exclusion of women ski jumpers from the Olympics arises from a long-standing belief by international sports figures that female bodies cannot withstand the force of landing. He mentioned one official who warned their uterus might burst and another who worried their spines could break on impact with the ground.
The hearing, scheduled to last five days, consists of legal argument only. No witnesses are to be called. Mr. Clark is due to finish his presentation today. VANOC will outline its defence tomorrow and Thursday before B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lauri Ann Fenlon.