Is President Vladimir Putin feeling the sting of months of international boycotts and scathing articles exposing his war on Russia’s LGBT community? On Russian television, the 61-year old former KGB director worked hard to assure newly-elected International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (image, right) that his “homosexual propaganda” law would not impact visiting guests, tourists, or Olympic athletes during next February’s 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
“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,” Putin said.
“On my own and on your behalf, I have assured Mr. President (Bach) that we will do our best, and our athletes and fans will do their best too, so that both participants and guests feel themselves comfortable at Sochi Olympics regardless of their ethnicity, race or sexual orientation,” Putin added. “I would like to underline that.”
Putin’s laws effectively make being LGBT illegal, and have enabled countless physical and verbal tracks on Russia’s gay community. A bill that would give the Russian government the right to forcibly remove all children from LGBT parents or same-sex couples was scheduled to be debated during the Olympics, but has been postponed.
Image: President Vladimir Putin (right) and IOC President Thomas Bach today. Photo via the Kremlin
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