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Obama to skip Olympic games, selects gay athletes for Sochi delegation
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama sent Russia a clear message about its treatment of gays and lesbians with who he is – and isn’t – sending to represent the United States at the Sochi Olympics.
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Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis urges protest of Russian anti-gay laws
WASHINGTON — Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis on Friday urged American Olympians to dedicate their performances at February’s Winter Games in Sochi to their gay friends and relatives as a means of protest against Russian anti-gay laws.
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EU commissioner to skip Olympics because of Russia’s human rights record
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — European Union commissioner Viviane Reding said Tuesday she would not be attending the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, over that country’s treatment of minorities.
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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.