“…but if he goes onto the street and starts propagandizing it, then of course he will be held accountable”
By Cathy Kristofferson, August 1, 2013
A series of tweets from @r_sport, who bills themselves as the “Official host news agency for @Sochi2014″, alerted me to renewed confirmation that Sochi Olympic athletes will NOT in fact be exempt from Russia’s “anti-gay propaganda” laws.
The story quotes the Russian Sports Minister’s confirmation:
“Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko warned Thursday that athletes and visitors to the Sochi Olympics will be subject to the country’s laws against promoting homosexuality, contradicting a statement from the International Olympic Committee that the government had promised they would be exempt.
No one is forbidding an athlete with non-traditional sexual orientation from coming to Sochi, but if he goes onto the street and starts propagandizing it, then of course he will be held accountable.”
Photo courtesy r-sport
So just what is the definition of “propagandizing”. The Russian law is broad and vague. It leaves ‘spreading information’ open to everyone’s interpretation. Pro-gay statements, such as proudly waving rainbow flags and wearing pins, certainly qualify.
Will New Zealand’s proudly out speed skater Blake Skjellerup be ‘held accountable’? Will he be arrested, detained for 15 days and then deported just as the Dutch filmmakers? Will he also be banned from returning for 3 years. And would he even want to return!
Skjellerup has stated in press, most recently in an interview with CBC, that he will be wearing his IOC-approved 2010 Olympic rainbow pin. Will it be seen as illegally “propagandizing” this time around? He says he will wear it, but he did express concern:
“I would like to think that because the IOC approved it in a previous Olympic, it’s not something that is going to get me into trouble whether I’m in or out of the village during Sochi.”
There seems to be plenty of reason for concern for everyone still considering attending the Olympic Games in Sochi. It seems more Russian Ministers are declaring the law will be enforced than those whispering to the International Olympic Committee that “athletes and spectators” will be exempt.
What will it take to push the IOC into bold action?
Related articles:-
- 10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture
- Protests and arrests as Russia’s State Duma passes anti-gay promotion bill unanimously
- Call to Boycott Olympics in homophobic Russia reminds of Apartheid South Africa
- Violent Arrests at pro-Gay Rally in Russia
- Renewed calls for Olympic boycott as gay arrests continue in Russia
Melanie Nathan, is known for her international human rights advocacy for LGBTQI asylum seekers, Uganda Kill the Gays Bill, Corrective Rape issue in South Africa, and equality activism in the USA; especially on the issue of bi-national same-sex couples struggle for green cards in the USA. Please feel free to Contact her if you have Tips, a story to tell - at 
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Okay- this is stupid, & it’s bigotry—
There are people who are attracted to the same sex. There are many animals in our world the same. It is a natural state of being.
Only in our man-dated/man-created world is it defined to fit in a particular way. This is only a matter of empathy & compassion.
Russia..life is short. Why would you want anyone to suffer more than they need to?
M’lord!!! If this is the case, then the boycott of the games should be organized!!! I would feel for the athletes … I remember the other games that were boycotted years ago and the one who seemed to be more affected where the athletes.
But this one is major trampling of human rights!! We need to get involved!!
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Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
*****This one is major trampling of human rights!! We need to get involved!!