May 30, 2008 (Vancouver, BC) – The controversy over the inclusion of women’s ski jumping at the Vancouver 2010 Games is heating up as eight female ski jumpers including Anette Sagen (Nor), Daniela Iraschko (Aus), Lindsey Van (USA), Karla Keck (USA) and Jessica Jerome (USA), Ulrike Grassler (Ger), Monika Planinc (Slo) and Marie-Pierre Morin (Can) are named as plaintiffs in an action filed recently in British Columbia’s Supreme Court according to Vancouver 24 Hours.

The skiers are hoping to force VANOC to include women’s ski jumping at the Games or prevent them from staging a men’s competition. The lawsuit charges that VANOC is in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and contravenes the Olympic charter which states that gender discrimination is “incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

The International Olympic Committee has maintained that overall international involvement of women’s ski jumping isn’t great enough to justify their participation. VANOC has not yet responded to the action.

For more on this story Vancouver 24 Hours.