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. 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. Andrew Benintendi Red Sox Jersey . Braden Calverts Winnipeg rink rallied to defeat Italy 8-7. After giving up three points in the second end, Calvert came back with a single, then stole two more points in the next two ends to tie it up at the fifth-end break. 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Not only that, when Julian de Guzman first stepped on the pitch for Deportivo de la Coruna he became the very first Canadian to play in Spains top tier.WINNIPEG - Red-hot Casey Haerther kept hitting, while Nick Hernandez had his second straight superb outing, as the Winnipeg Goldeyes won their third straight game on Wednesday night. Hernandez threw 6 2/3 innings of three-hit baseball, while Casey Haerther hit a pair of home runs as the Goldeyes beat the Grand Prairie AirHogs 8-1 in Game 2 of a three-game series at Shaw Park. "My change up was easily my best pitch tonight," said Hernandez in the clubhouse afterward. "The important thing was, we threw strike one. When you get ahead in the count you can do so many more things and you have so much more confidence. When youre ahead in the count, youre in control and that was the big reason for my success tonight. "There isnt any pitcher on this team who likes to get behind hitters. Tonight we got ahead of hitters and then I was able to go to the change up to put them away." With the win, the Goldeyes improved to 17-9 on the season – 12-5 on the road and now 5-4 at home. The Goldeyes move into first place in the American Associations North Division, a half game ahead of the St. Paul Saintts.dddddddddddd The Goldeyes also locked up this three-game set with the visiting AirHogs. The Goldeyes scored a run in the first off AirHogs starter Brandon Bargas when leadoff man Tyler Kuhn singled and No. 2 hitter Jake Blackwood doubled him home. In the second, Donnie Webb singled, Josh Mazzola singled and then Haerther hit his first home run of the game, a three-run bomb that flew over the left field wall and bounced toward the river. The Goldeyes added another run in the fifth as Kuhn singled and scored on another double by Blackwood. Haerther hit a solo shot the opposite way in the sixth to make it 6-0. Grand Prairie scored in the seventh as Jason Botts singled, Vince DiFazio singled and Botts scored on a single off relief pitcher Kaohi Downing by Eric Baker. The Goldeyes added two more in the bottom of the eighth as Webb walked, Mazzola doubled, Haerther drove in his fifth run of the game with a single that scored Webb and then Kuhn singled to drive in Mazzola. Hernandez (2-0, 4.67 ERA) got the win for Winnipeg, while Bargas (2-3, 5.50 ERA) suffered the loss. There was no save. ' ' '