| Salt Lake City |
 |
 |
| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
 |
| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
|
| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
|
| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
|
| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
|
| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
|
| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
|
| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
SLOC discriminated against us, a Christian group says
Associated Press
A Christian group from Georgia that was told by Salt Lake Olympic organizers to take its message and Jesus pins away from Paralympic venues says it was a victim of discrimination.
Representatives of Action Ministries International, an organization of Christian athletes, were told by an E Center security guard that group members could not wear their red jackets with religious insignia or speak to people inside the venue.
"This is my eighth Olympic ministry, and I have never experienced this level of censorship in any part of the world during the Olympic Games," said Action Ministries leader Dave Guinn. "It's just plain discrimination."
The Salt Lake Organizing Committee denied it was discriminating against the group, based in West Point, Ga. But SLOC spokeswoman Nancy Volmer confirmed Wednesday that it had received several complaints from ticketholders about Action Ministries handing out pins and proselytizing.
At SLOC's request, security personnel asked the group to relocate to designated "free speech areas" outside the venue.
"SLOC does not allow messaging inside the venues, including proselytizing," said Volmer. "And they were causing congestion at check-in points."
Volmer also said that the Christian group's jackets were similar to volunteer garb and asked that they stop wearing them. She said the group was told that members were welcome to return as spectators.
Apparently, that did not satisfy Guinn or his 32 Action Ministries members.
"This is a calculated effort to quiet the Christian message proclaimed in Salt Lake City," Guinn said. "If we can't wear our coats because they have a message, neither can anyone wearing a jacket saying Nike or NASCAR on it."
Most other Christian groups who came to evangelize during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games left before the Paralympics began.
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March 19, 2002
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