Olympic committee leadership ‘cross’ with Russia over anti-gay law

he Olympic leadership is “cross” with Russia for implementing anti-gay legislation ahead of the Winter Games, a senior IOC official said Monday, insisting that there must be no restrictions on athletes in Sochi next year.

The law, which provoked an international outcry and calls for a boycott of the Olympics, bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies.

Lefteris Pitarakis, AP
Activists participate at a protest against Russia’s new law on gays, in central London, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013. Hundreds of protesters called for the Winter 2014 Olympic Games to be taken away from Sochi, Russia, because of Russia’s new anti-gay law.

The IOC asked the Russians last week to provide written re-assurances about how the law will be applied.

And C.K. Wu, an IOC executive board member, said the Russians must “fully understand” that the human rights of athletes, as enshrined in the Olympic charter, have to be respected during the Feb. 7-23 Olympics in the Black Sea resort.

“We want to know during the games what will happen in different situations,” Wu told reporters in London. “‘What are you (Russia) going to do?’ So we are waiting for them to really respond.”