WASHINGTON -- If Stephen Harper or Barack Obama plan to do any Olympics-watching next February, theyll be staring at a screen and not from the stands. Buy Nike Tn Trainers Uk . The Canadian and American leaders both announced Wednesday that they will not be attending the Games, prompting speculation of an international snub over Russias gay-rights record. Harpers office announced the news discreetly, in a late-evening email. The message from the Prime Ministers Office noted that Harper has gone to only one Olympics since he took office, and that lone exception was for obvious reasons. "He normally does not attend (Vancouver was an exception because Canada was the host)," a prime ministerial spokesman said in an email. That news came several hours after the United States delivered a more conspicuous message. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice-president to the Games. Also, the small U.S. delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies will include two openly gay athletes. Those athletes, tennis legend Billie Jean King and hockey player Caitlin Cahow, will be joined by figure skater Brian Boitano, former cabinet secretary Janet Napolitano, a presidential advisor, and the U.S. ambassador to Russia. An Obama spokesman was asked at the daily White House press briefing whether the delegation was intended to make a political point. While he said such a message would not be sent "through this manner," his response also repeatedly referred to "diversity" -- a word Obamas spokesman mentioned seven times in his answers. "This delegation represents the diversity that is the United States," said presidential spokesman Jay Carney. "Every member of that delegation is extremely accomplished, either in government service or in civic activism or, most especially, in sports. So hes very proud of the delegation and the diversity it represents. And he looks forward, as every American does, to the competition and to the effort that American athletes will demonstrate when they compete in Sochi." Obamas spokespeople said his schedule would not allow him to attend. However, Carney also added that the president has been clear that he "finds it offensive, the anti-LGBT legislation in Russia," as well as the harassment caused to those who protest corruption there. Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda." For its part, the Canadian government said its delegation choices will be announced soon. When asked whether they should be interpreted as carrying a human-rights message, Harper spokesman Jason MacDonald replied: "No. Were not in a position to comment on who our representatives will be." France and Germany are among the other countries who will not send their presidents to Sochi for the Games. Earlier this month, IOC President Thomas Bach said Russia would set up public protest zones in Sochi for "people who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against something." Meanwhile, the IOC approved a letter going out to athletes reminding them to refrain from protests or political gestures during the Sochi Games -- reiterating Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, which forbids demonstrations on Olympic grounds. Bach had previously said hed received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that gays will not be discriminated against in Sochi. On Thursday, Putin reiterated those assurances, saying it is Russias responsibility as host of the Games to ensure equal conditions for all the athletes. "The main thing for us is the good organization of these competitions, the creation of equal terms for all athletes," he told a Moscow news conference. But the Russian law has raised questions about what could happen to athletes who wear pins or badges or carry flags supporting gay rights. The U.S. Olympic Committee made no comment about the sexual orientation of the delegation Wednesday. In a nod to its disapproval of the law, however, the USOC recently revised its non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation. Earlier this year, Obama rejected the idea of a U.S. boycott of the Olympics despite a number of differences with Russia, including the anti-gay law. Wednesdays announcement, however, represented an unmistakable break with recent precedent: In Vancouver, Vice-President Joe Biden led the delegation, and in 2012, first lady Michelle Obama held the honour. The announcement prompted an enthusiastic response from the Human Rights Campaign, which recently sent a letter urging Obama to include gays and lesbians in the U.S. delegation. "Its a positive sign to see openly gay representatives in the delegation," said spokesman Michael Cole-Schwartz. "Hopefully it sends a message to the Russian people and the rest of the world that the United States values the civil and human rights of LGBT people." King made an explicit point about human rights Wednesday, saying she was "deeply honoured" to be named to the delegation. "I am equally proud to stand with the members of the LGBT community in support of all athletes who will be competing in Sochi and I hope these Olympic Games will indeed be a watershed moment for the universal acceptance of all people," she said. King, who won Wimbledon 20 times in singles and doubles categories, will attend the opening ceremony. Authentic Air Max 90 . - Robert Griffin III has a sprained throwing shoulder that limited him in practice Wednesday as the Washington Redskins prepared for their season finale against the Dallas Cowboys. Cheap Air Max 270 White .C. -- Authorities say the brother of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has been shot and killed outside a South Carolina nightclub. http://www.fakeairmaxukoutlet.com/best-max-95-trainers-cheap-uk.html . -- Adam Tambellini scored three times and set up one more as the Calgary Hitmen won their sixth in a row by crushing the host Lethbridge Hurricanes 8-1 on Saturday in Western Hockey League play.Sarah Burke is never far from Mike Riddles thoughts.Approaching the three-year anniversary of her death following a halfpipe training accident, hes still inspired by the pioneering Canadian freestyle skiers memory.Im always thinking about her. I have a Sarah sticker on my skis and when Im competing I wear a wristband and a sticker on my helmet, Riddle said in a phone interview Friday. Shes always on my mind. Shes a huge part of the lives of a lot of the athletes out there.We definitely have not forgotten about her.Burke died on Jan. 19, 2012, nine days after a fall while practising on a halfpipe in Utah. A four-time X Games champion, she was the driving force behind the inclusion of halfpipe and slopestyle in the Olympics, sports that made their debut in Sochi last year.I know that if Im ever struggling with something I definitely draw on her for inspiration and strength, said Riddle. Her memory definitely inspires me to do the best that I can.I cant believe its been three years. Her memory is living strong.The 2015 X Games begin next week in Aspen, Colo., and Riddle — who won Olympic silver for Canada on the halfpipe last February — said this season is about building.Theres a lot less pressure from (the national team), or sponsors and ourselves to put down a competition run over and over again that youre going to compete with at the Olympics, said the 28-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta. If theres ever a year for us to mess around and try new things, this is it. After this year it starts ramping up year over year into the Olympics (in 2018).Roz Groenewoud, who also honours Burke on her equipment and finished seventh in womens halfpipe in Sochi, said shes also looking to grow in 2015.I spent our off-season in New Zealand working on a lot new tricks, but they havent really come together for me quite yet, said the 25-year-old from Calgary. Im still putting the piecces together and putting the time in. Discount Air Max Uk. Riddle will make his ninth appearance at the X Games, while Groenewoud is set to make her eighth trip, having won the halfpipe title in 2012 just weeks after Burkes death. Both said that even though the Olympics might be a bigger stage, the X Games remain a premier event for athletes in their discipline.Someone put it a really good way: X Games is the biggest event in action sport. The Olympics is the biggest event in sports, said Riddle, whose best finish at X Games is fourth. Its a different demographic, but for us the X Games is still a huge event and it always will be.Groenewoud said time will tell where the Olympics fall in terms of prestige, but added the X Games place is more than secure.The Olympics is so new for us its hard to tell where its going to fit into the culture and the tradition, she said. But I think the X Games will remain extremely important regardless of how the Olympics begin to be viewed.Riddle and Groenewoud also touched on their disappointment that this years FIS freestyle skiing world championships in Austria conflict with the X Games, meaning that the top halfpipe skiers had to choose between the events.For the athletes that are invited to X Games, thats where theyre going, which really sucks because the world championships would be our second biggest event of the year had it not been scheduled at the same time, said Riddle, who swept halfpipe gold with Groenewoud at the 2011 worlds. Its going to devalue world championships.Added Groenewoud: It is really unfortunate. World championships still are a big event ... having that title on my resume has impacted my life positively.Its something thats important, especially to the mainstream, non-ski community. Its something that everyone understands because every sport has a world championship.—Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter. ' ' '