IOC Will Not Tolerate Gay Protests

[Jazzy]

Any protest of the anti-gay laws in Russia could be punishable by possible disqualification. The International Olympic Committee says it will not tolerate anyone using the event as a personal platform to voice displeasure with the law. An IOC spokesperson told MSN News that Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter states that the Olympics “are not a place for proactive protests or demonstrations.”

This is not stopping one athlete from moving forward with a gay protest at the WInter Olympics. American figure skater Johnny Weir has stated that he is willing to be arrested if it brings more attention to the law and causes people to rally against it. Gay Star News reported that the IOC has said that they will punish protesters, but the punishments have not been specified.

Rule 50 offers some potential punishments though. It states that violations of the law may “result in disqualifications or withdrawal of the accreditation of the person concerned.” The IOC has said they will take a “sensible approach” and view each case on its individual merits.

The idea of gay protests at the Winter Olympics has been met with mixed reactions. President Barack Obama has said that protests would be “unnecessary.” British actor Stephen Fry has been very active in bringing attention to the law as well. Various bars have also boycotted Russian vodka brands.

Source

Questions: Should the athletes risk infamy and being ejected from the Winter Olympics? Or should Weir and many others stand up regardless of the consequences?

 

[DrLeftover]

The IAAF has joined them

17 August 2013

AFP - Swedish high jumper Emma Green-Tregaro has repainted her nails after being warned by the IAAF that the rainbow colours she sported in qualification in support of gay rights were a breach of regulations.

Russian pole vault gold medallist Yelena Isinbayeva has provoked a furore at the World Athletics Championships over her outspoken anti-gay remarks, which she later tried to play down saying she was "misunderstood" and opposed to discrimination against homosexuals.

And she had called Green-Tregaro "unrespectful" to Russia after painting her nails in the colours of the rainbow flag that symbolises support for gay rights while competing in Moscow, a move that garnered acclaim elsewhere in the world.

Anders Albertsson, general secretary of the Swedish athletics federation, said before Saturday's high jump final that they had talked with track and field's governing body, the IAAF, over the issue and Green-Tregaro had revarnished her nails.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130817-iaaf-makes-gay-rights-jumper-repaint-rainbow-nails

 

[DrLeftover]

Oh well-

August 21, 2013 11:22 am

Reporter James Kirchick was kicked off the air of the RT network Wednesday after he refused to talk about Bradley Manning and instead spoke about the Russian government’s anti-gay laws.

“Being here on a Kremlin-funded propaganda network, I’m going to wear my gay pride suspenders and speak out against the horrific, anti-gay legislation that Vladimir Putin has signed into law,” Kirchick said.

RT, formerly Russia Today, is funded by the Russian government, which recently passed a sweeping law that bans the public discussion of gay rights and relationships in the presence of children.

As Kirchick continued to speak about the laws and the government’s funding of the network, one RT host insisted to Kirchick, “You have to come over here and see for yourself.”

“You have 24 hours a day to lie about America, I am going to tell the truth with my two minutes,” Kirkchick went on to say after RT hosts tried to cut him off.

Shortly after Kirchick said this, he disappeared from the program’s split screen.

http://freebeacon.com/gay-reporter-kicked-off-kremlin-network-after-protesting-anti-gay-law/


NOTE: There is no such thing as "Freedom of Speech" in Russia.