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Russian gay law raises alarm among Olympic sponsors
Sun, Sep 08 17:33 PM EDT
By Karolos Grohmann
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Fears Russia's controversial gay law could
affect next year's Sochi Winter Games has reached sponsors despite
efforts by the hosts to play down the issue, the International Olympic
Committee said on Sunday.
The Russian law, which forbids the dissemination of information on
homosexuality to minors, has been seen by critics as discriminatory.
It has overshadowed preparations for the Sochi Olympics - a
priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who wants it to show the
country as a modern state with top-notch infrastructure.
"Lately there has been a lot of discussion and I am pushed by
several sponsors about what will happen with this new law in Russia,"
IOC marketing chief Gerhard Heiberg told Sochi Games chief Dmitry
Chernyshenko.
"Especially the American sponsors are afraid what could happen. This could ruin a lot for all of us.
"We are not there to try to change the law in Russia," he said
during an official Sochi Games progress presentation to the IOC in the
Argentine capital.
"This is an internal Russian decision but what will the
consequences be? This is possibly a way where we could get some kind of
invitation for people to make demonstrations."
The IOC has said it has received written assurances from the
Russian government that the issue would not affect Games participants,
including accredited people as well as Olympic spectators.
But despite the assurances it is still unclear what repercussions
this could have on anyone talking about homosexuality in front of minors
during the Games or choosing to express his or her sexual orientation
in an Olympic venue.
"All necessary clarification has been provided to the IOC directly
by the Russian ministry of justice," Chernyshenko said in response.
NO DISCRIMINATION
"The constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees equality of
rights for everybody in the country. It explicitly prohibits any form of
discrimination," he told the IOC session.
Critics, however, claim it is one of a string of repressive
measures introduced by former KGB spy Putin in the first year of his
third presidential term that clamp down on dissent, violate gay rights
and restrain non-governmental organisations.
"We make this clear. This law recently passed does not prohibit
homosexuality directly or indirectly. It does not contradict elements of
the Olympic Charter. It will not stop 2014 proudly upholding the
Olympic values," Chernyshenko said.
"The law will have no impact for any guest visitor. Whether
athletes or just fans or members of Olympic family, everybody is welcome
to enjoy the fantastic Games."
Chernyshenko said Putin had awarded "the highest Russian order" to a homosexual recently. "This is a greatest example of diversity of our country. It's important to have your (IOC) support in this campaign."
IOC officials also questioned Chernyshenko about what they
perceived as a lack of media exposure of the Sochi Olympics as well as
concerns over empty seats following Moscow's world athletics
championships last month that drew only small crowds.
"To my big surprise on the (Moscow) opening day with the president
of the country present, the stadium was a third full despite promises of
the organising committee," said IOC member Alex Gilady, also a member
of the athletics federation (IAAF) television commission.
"Moscow is of course 12-13 million people, Sochi is (much smaller).
Would it be in ice competitions or will they (spectators) get to the
mountains in numbers to make TV happy?"
Gilady, a former NBC official, said empty seats would be a turnoff for viewers around the world.
"Why should I be the only idiot watching this?", viewers would ask themselves, Gilady said.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Editing by Tom Bartlett and Alison Wildey)
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