Sunday, August 18, 2013

Russian Gold Medalists Kiss On Podium In Defiance Of Anti-Gay Law





Not everyone in Russia supports Vladimir Putin's and the Russian Orthodox Church's as evidenced by a same sex kiss on the awards podium by two Russian Gold Medalists at the World Track & Field Championships in Moscow.  Will they be arrested?  And will others competing in athletic events in Russia?  Or will international bodies like the IOC and those like Swedish officials who told Swedish high jumper Emma Green Tregaro that she had to paint over her rainbow flag colored fingernails act as anti-gay enforcers for Russia?  ALL international events - especially the 2014 Winter Olympic Games - need to be moved out of Russia until the anti-gay laws are repealed.  First details on the same sex kiss via Joe My God:


Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova, two members of Russia's women's 4x400 relay team, defied their nation's ban on "homosexual propaganda" when they kissed on the podium during the presentation ceremony for their gold medals at the World Track & Field Championships in Moscow.  Just fantastic! Thank you, ladies, thank you!

As for the enablers in Sweden,  there's this from News.Com.Au:

Emma Green Tregaro modelled bright red nails yesterday as she took the field at the world championships.

Swedish officials told the 28-year-old her rainbow gesture, which brought international attention as a protest against Russia's new law against gay "propaganda," could be a violation of the competition's code of conduct.

She said the Swedish track and field federation asked her to "please respect the rules" and change the colour of her nails.  "So I decided to paint them red instead, for love," she said.

The general secretary of the Swedish federation said the IAAF, the sport's governing body, had warned them that Green Tregaro may have violated the code of conduct.

"They were saying that this was by definition a breach of the regulations, not saying anything else, really," Anders Albertsson said. "We have informed our athletes about this."

Apparently, Swedish officials leaned nothing from the 1936 Berlin games and what happens when one offers appeasement to brutal tyrants.  Shame on Sweden.

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