Tag Archives: Sochi Olympics

TIMES SQUARE: Queer Nation Crashes USOC Press Event For Sochi Olympics

The protesters were interviewed by some of the media in attendance, so mission accomplished. More photos.  USA Today reports on the protest. About two dozen protesters tried to disrupt the U.S. Olympic committee’s 100-day countdown event Tuesday in Times Square. Yelling “Homophobia’s gotta go” the protesters unfurled banners that said “don’t buy Putin’s lies ” and “boycott homophobia” while Olympic …

Read More »

ATLANTA: All Out Activists Drive Billboard Trucks Past Coca-Cola Headquarters

Via press release: Today, All Out demonstrated outside Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Coca-Cola is one of the largest Olympic sponsors and has the longest continuous Olympic sponsorship history of any of the sponsors. All Out called upon Coca-Cola to continue their strong tradition of support for the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities by calling for an end of …

Read More »

Putin: Gays Are Welcome At Sochi

“We are doing everything, both the organizers and our athletes and fans, so that participants and guests feel comfortable in Sochi, regardless of nationality, race or sexual orientation.” – Russian president Vladimir Putin, speaking today to Thomas Bach, the chairman of the International Olympic Committee. Gays are welcome to attend, just don’t do anything that might let somebody know that …

Read More »

TOMORROW: Queer Nation Vs USOC

Details here.

Read More »

Olympian Johnny Weir Retires, Hired To Be Figure Skating Commentator At Sochi

NBC reports: Two-time Olympic figure skater and three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir is hanging up the skates and picking up the mic. Weir is retiring from competition and joining NBC Olympics as a figure skating analyst for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, he announced on TODAY Wednesday. The skating star, who is openly gay and married to a Russian …

Read More »

Petition Of The Day

Over 300K signatures. (Tipped by JMG reader Birdie)

Read More »

LGBT Groups Slam USOC

The Human Rights Campaign and All Out are criticizing the United States Olympic Committee, who last week added sexual orientation to their non-discrimination policy. From the HRC: “We welcome the news that the USOC has added sexual orientation to the non-discrimination policy in its code of conduct, and hope this is a sign of more good things to come. However, …

Read More »

US Olympic Committee Adds Sexual Orientation To Non-Discrimination Policy

The United States Olympic Committee today amended its official non-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation. At his annual address to the USOC Assembly on Friday, CEO Scott Blackmun said the federation is not in the business of trying to influence Russian policy. “The fact that we do not think it is our role to advocate for a change in the …

Read More »

RUSSIA: Bill To Seize Children Of Gay Parents Set For Debate During Olympics

The proposed bill that would authorize the Russian government to seize the children of gay parents will be debated in February. The debate will likely coincide with the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi which have already been marred by boycott calls over Russia’s controversial new anti-gay legislation. The bill, published on the website of Russia’s Duma lower house of …

Read More »

Activists To IOC: Uphold Principle 6

Athlete Ally and All Out have joined forces to urge the International Olympic Committee to uphold its own Principle 6, which bans discrimination at the Olympic Games. The groups intend to make Principle 6 into a method of denouncing Russia’s anti-gay laws without actually risking the arrests of attendees or the medals of supporting athletes at the Sochi Games. Frank …

Read More »

Russia To Spy On Sochi Attendees

The Guardian reports: Athletes and spectators attending the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February will face some of the most invasive and systematic spying and surveillance in the history of the Games, documents shared with the Guardian show. Russia’s powerful FSB security service plans to ensure that no communication by competitors or spectators goes unmonitored during the event, according to …

Read More »

Olympic Torch Blows Out At Kremlin

Talk about symbolism. Via the Washington Post: Russia rolled out a red carpet, on Red Square, for the Olympic flame on Sunday and another red carpet for the man who made the big bet on Russia as host for the Winter Games next year in Sochi: President Vladimir Putin. The flame, which would later choose the wrong moment to show …

Read More »

Germany Unveils Rainbow Olympic Outfits

German athletes will wear the above rainbow-hued uniforms at the Sochi Olympics, but officials insist the design is not intended as a commentary on Russia’s anti-gay laws. Der Spiegel reports: The uniforms were created by German designer Willy Bogner, in cooperation with Adidas and the shoe company Sioux. Bogner claims they were an homage to the aesthetics of the 1972 …

Read More »

Queer Nation Takes Aim At Coca-Cola Over Sponsorship Of Sochi Olympics

Today Queer Nation launched Tell Coke, a website that directs visitors to email Coca-Cola executives to express objections to their “multi-billion dollar investment in Russia” and their sponsorship of the Sochi Olympics. Hit the link to send the prepared messages.

Read More »

Olympian Bode Miller Slams Russia

Five-time Olympic skiing medalist Bode Miller didn’t hold back yesterday when the Associated Press asked him about Russia’s anti-gay laws. “‘I think it’s absolutely embarrassing that there’s countries and there’s people who are that intolerant and that ignorant,” he said Monday, one of the few athletes willing to take a stand on the subject at the U.S. Olympic media summit …

Read More »

The Olympic Torch Is On The Move

One wonders if the Olympic torch relay might see some protests this time around. It sure seems like a good opportunity. ABC News reports on today’s launch: Using the sun’s rays, the Olympic flame lighting for the Winter Games in Sochi went off without a hitch in southern Greece Sunday, ahead of its journey across Russia’s nine time zones and …

Read More »

Athlete Ally Slams IOC

“When given the choice to stand up and affirm Principle 6 of the Olympic charter, the IOC simply backed down. And so we now head into uncharted territory in Sochi, a place where LGBT people – and others trying to support them – will be subject to persecution because of these heinous laws passed after Sochi was named the host …

Read More »

IOC: We Are Fully Satisfied Russia’s Anti-Gay Laws Don’t Violate Our Charter

The International Olympic Committee today announced that it has no grounds to challenge Russia’s anti-gay laws in advance of the Sochi Olympics. IOC officials told a news conference in Sochi, where they were making their final inspection tour before the Games begin Feb. 7, that they were “fully satisfied” that a Russian law banning gay propaganda does not violate the …

Read More »

RUSSIA: Ten Activists Arrested In Sochi

Gay Star News reports that ten gay activists were arrested today in Sochi, Russia. The group, led by gay activist Nikolai Alekseev, tried to hold a protest against the ban against public rallies during the Olympic Games in Sochi next year. According to eyewitness reports, once police seized a poster calling for the end to homophobia in Russia the group …

Read More »

No Sochi Olympics For Johnny Weir

Last week Johnny Weir sounded very much like he hoped to compete at the Sochi Olympics. But today skating officials confirmed that the deadline to sign up to compete for the American team was two weeks ago. And Weir did not register. It appears Johnny Weir‘s Olympic figure skating career is over. The two-time Olympian did not register for a …

Read More »