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Olympic Committee to remind athletes against protests in Sochi
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The IOC is finalizing a letter to Olympic athletes reminding them to refrain from demonstrations or political gestures during the Winter Games in Sochi, including any protests against Russia’s law banning gay “propaganda.”
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German president boycotting Olympics over Russia’s human rights violations
BERLIN — German President Joachim Gauck is boycotting the Winter Olympics and will not travel to Sochi, Russia next year. Gauck took the decision to protest human rights violations and the harassment of Russian opposition political figures, Der Spiegel reported Sunday. The magazine said the Russian government was informed of his decision last week. Presidential […]
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N.Y. pushes Sochi Games advertisers to speak out in support of LGBT rights
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and New York City Comptroller John Liu are pressuring Olympic advertisers to speak out against Russia’s restrictions on gay and transgender rights before the Sochi Winter Games begin in February.
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Johnny Weir apologizes after calling gay activists ‘idiots’ for anti-Russian protests
NEW YORK — Former Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir apologized Tuesday after lashing out at gay rights activists during a speech at Barnard College, calling them “idiots” for their anti-Russian protests, which he labeled “useless.”
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Russian activists urge IOC president to take stronger position on anti-gay laws
PARIS — IOC President Thomas Bach met with Russian gay rights activists who urged an investigation before the Sochi Olympics into national laws banning “gay propaganda.”
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Ahead of Olympics, Russia sending mixed message on gay rights
MOSCOW — Anyone who switched on Russian TV recently might have been forgiven for thinking the Kremlin was relaxing its hard line on gays: Images of rainbow flags and a happy same-sex couple looking adoringly at their child flashed across the screen.
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Russia’s sports minister: Mistake to pass anti-gay law before Olympics
MOSCOW — Russia’s sports minister says passing the gay “propaganda” law that sparked calls for boycotting the Sochi Olympics was a mistake — not because of its contents but because of its timing.
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Foes of Russia’s anti-gay ‘propaganda’ law ponder new tactics
NEW YORK — The four-month campaign protesting Russia’s ban on “gay propaganda” is entering a new phase, as human rights activists try to heighten pressure on the Olympics’ top corporate sponsors to speak out before the Winter Games in Sochi.
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Olympic Committee president confident gays will be treated equally in Russia
MOSCOW — International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach is confident that all athletes and visitors at the Winter Olympics in Sochi will be treated equally regardless of “race, gender or sexual orientation.”
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Russian gay activists: IOC chief refused to meet with during Sochi visit
MOSCOW — Russian gay activists say the new president of the International Olympic Committee refused to meet with them while visiting the 2014 Winter Games city of Sochi.