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Just days ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympic games, 40 past and 12 current Olympic athletes have banded together to protest Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay laws. Middle-distance track athlete Nick Symmonds, footballers Megan Rapinoe and Robbie Rogers, tennis champs Martina Navratilova and Andy Roddick, snowboarder Seth Wescott, diving great Greg Louganis, and rower Esther Lofgren are among the 52 supporters of the Principle 6 campaign.
The Olympic athletes describe it as having been “inspired by the values of the Olympic charter, is a way for athletes, fans and global supporters to celebrate the Olympic principle of non-discrimination and speak out against Russia’s anti-gay laws before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.”
Megan Rapinoe eloquently explained that supporting Olympic ideals is a basic question of human rights, not political speech.
“I understand and respect that the Olympics are not the time nor place for political statements, but this is far beyond any kind of statement,” the California native gold medalist told the Guardian.
“People’s lives and their wellbeing are in danger, and that goes far beyond anything the Olympics stand for. I think it is important to talk about it and have an ongoing conversation during these games, and not have this issue silenced.”
U.S. Olympic runner Nick Symmonds, also speaking with the Guardian, added that while in Moscow last year, he “saw video of people being shoved to the street for expressing their love, and the image bothered me very much.”
“I also spoke with members of the gay community in Russia who said they had been treated better under Soviet rule than they were currently being treated under Putin’s leadership, and wanted to lend my support in any way I could.”
The Principle 6 campaign lists all the athletes who have joined. A few others include Sochi Olympians Belle Brockhoff, Heath Spence, Mike Janyk, and Alex Duckworth. The campaign also includes non-Olympic professional athletes, like Chris Kluwe, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Scott Fujita, Donté Stallworth, Steve Nash, Jason Collins, and Diana Nyad.
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