[Pointman]

Back to patches topic — let me give you a very clear picture of how canadians with rainbow patches will be received in Russia.

Imagine that from this season russian NHLers will be playing with a patch designed against the law that only USA-born person can be USA president. It is inequity based on something a person doesn't choose and can't change. You can't even defend it with "protecting children" arguments. You don't even have the "if hetero will be promoting gayness, he will be fined too, so it is equal" argument. It is undefendable, plain and simple discrimination that affected some people's life, such as Schwarnegger.

So, what if russian players will be wearing some patch against it? Imagine it for a minute — this is precisely the same, as Canadian players with rainbow patches in Russia (I'm not saying that the issues are the same, I'm only saying that public reaction will be the same).