• Thomas
Bach has received assurances from Vladimir Putin
• Russian
president in talks after anti-gay law controversy
theguardian.com,
Press Association, 30 October 2013
The IOC president Thomas Bach says the Sochi Winter Games will be 'free of discrimination'. Photograph: Reuters |
Thomas Bach
is confident there will be no discrimination against gay athletes and visitors
at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. The International Olympic Committee president
said he had received assurances from Vladimir Putin that everyone travelling to
the February event would be welcomed equally "regardless of race, gender
or sexual orientation".
The German
met with the Russian president on Monday to seek assurances over Russia's
controversial anti-gay law, which has overshadowed the build-up to the Games.
Bach said
in a statement from the IOC: "All visitors travelling to Sochi for the
Games regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation will be welcomed here
equally – this has been made very clear by the Russian authorities.
"The
Games themselves are open to all, free of discrimination, and that applies to
spectators, officials, media, and, of course, athletes. This is a principal
pillar of the Olympic movement that will be upheld in Sochi."
The law,
which was enacted in June and prohibits "propaganda of non-traditional
sexual relations among minors", has been widely condemned. It hit the
headlines during August's World Athletics Championships in Moscow and led to
calls to boycott the Games amid fears that gay athletes and visitors could be
discriminated against.
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