Sport is a microcosm of the “real” world, reflecting the values and traditions of a society on the ice, on the pitch or on the court, and will often show us practical examples of how to deal with everyday conundrums.

The accommodations issue has popped up in the sports world on several occasions, most often dealing with gender issues, and has proven time and time again that men and women are equals – although within context.

The most famous example is Billie Jean King beating Bobby Riggs in tennis’ 1973 Battle of the Sexes.

Another example is Hailey Wickenheiser suiting up to play men’s hockey in Europe a couple of years ago – although in a physical sport like hockey, she is the exception to the rule.

Essentially, men and women can and should compete on the same level, as long as that level doesn’t include a 200 pound man body checking or tackling a considerably smaller woman.

Nevertheless, Wickenheiser was proof, once more, that women are a force to be reckoned with and should not be considered second-class citizens, be it in the world of sport or other.

In the major women’s sport issue of 2008, however, the people fighting the have women’s ski jumping included in the 2010 Olympics are way off base by bringing human rights into the picture.

Essentially, the International Olympic Committee has banned the event from the 2010 Vancouver Games for the simple reason that it is not developed enough on the women’s side to be considered a valid Olympic sport.

Female ski jumpers and politically correct activists the world over are enraged by this, and have been calling on the Canadian government to intervene.

It’s discrimination, they say, and goes against the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I have to disagree.

When it comes to the Olympics, the integrity of sport supersedes all.

It’s not a human rights violation to say that if an event is not sufficiently developed that it should not being included.

There just isn’t a deep enough pool of realistically competitive athletes and countries to allow for a true competition in 2010.

The IOC has not banned the sport forever – for now, it’s just in 2010.

If, in the intervening years between Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, the sport becomes more competitive, then it will naturally be included.

The Winter Olympics already has one farce of an event in women’s hockey – which basically has only three competitive countries – that it does not need to add another simply to appease a small group of overblown activists.

The Olympics need strong female events in order to show that women are strong athletes and can compete on the same level as men.

Including this event is simply wrong and I applaud the IOC for sticking to its guns.