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Canadian organizers of the 2010 Olympics said they are sympathetic to female ski jumpers' demands to participate in the Winter Games, but there is nothing they can do about it.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee opened its defense to a lawsuit filed by 15 North American and European women who say its failure to schedule both women's and men's competitions in next year's Games violates Canada's equality laws.

"Frankly, VANOC feels a little bit caught in the middle," its lawyer George Macintosh, said outside the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, where the civil case is being heard by a judge.

The Vancouver organizers argue that it is the International Olympic Committee that decides what sports will be held in the Games, and the IOC has ruled that women's ski jumping does not qualify.

Ski jumping, which has been an Olympic sport since 1924, is one of the few events in either the Winter or Summer Games not to have competitions for both men and women - something required of all newly added Olympic sports.

IOC officials say women's ski jumping does not have enough international competitions and competitors. The female ski jumpers dismiss that argument, saying it is really an attempt to cover up IOC sexism.

The suit asks the court to block male ski jumpers from competing in Vancouver unless there is also a women's event. The IOC and VANOC would either have to comply and hold the extra competition, cancel the men's event for 2010, or hold it outside of Canada.

VANOC has told the court that neither it nor the IOC are bound by Canada's Charter of Rights in determining what sports are included in the Games.

"Even if it did, VANOC did not do anything offside of the Charter," Macintosh said.

VANOC has also warned that the Olympics would never be awarded to Canada again if the court rules in favor of the women. Canada has previously hosted a Winter Games in Calgary and a Summer Games in Montreal.

Vancouver organizers say they hope the IOC will change its mind for the 2014 Winter Games in Russia, and is helping the women train for that by giving them access to the jumping venue built for the 2010 Games.

With the broadcast and competition schedule already set for the Games, which will be held in February, it would be very difficult to include the women's competition at this late date, a VANOC spokeswoman said.

"We have done and will continue to do what we can to help these talented, passionate young women," Renee Smith-Valade said.

Reuters