Russia seems to be flip-flopping with their commitment to keep gay people and supporters of LGBT rights out of the country, especially for the Olympics. Despite the fact that they’ve publicly stated that anybody who’s gay or supports gays will be prosecuted, they’re now taking back their statement and claiming that gay athletes will be ‘comfortable’ during the Olympics in Russia. Yeah, too little too late, Russia.
Vladimir Putin released a statement promising that gay and lesbian athletes, as well as their guests, will be just fine despite Russia’s ban on ‘homosexual propaganda’. Putin explained to the International Olympic Committee, “We will do everything to make sure that athletes, fans and guests feel comfortable at the Olympic Games regardless of their ethnicity, race or sexual orientation.”
Yeah, apart from the very public and famous faces of the Olympics that happen to be gay [like Johnny Weir], I don’t see many gay people risking their life to go to Russia, even for the Olympics. The president can guarantee all the ‘comfort’ he wants, but if the crazy lunatics in Russia get their hands on these people, I doubt the Russian government will do much to help them.
Of course, Russia’s already spent close to $50 billion on the promotions aimed towards the Sochi Winter Games, and all the Olympic facilities have reportedly been completed. Obviously, the scandal surrounding Russia’s anti-gay laws have overwhelmed any other type of Olympics-related news, and I’m sure the Olympics committee was worried about the safety of its athletes. And again, Putin’s words don’t really ring true, especially since they just seem more like they’re trying to pacify the Olympics committee than anything else.
What do you guys think? Do you think Putin meant what he said, or is he just trying to prevent the scandal and backlash from getting worse? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
