Kseniya Ryzhova said she was insulted that the Russian 4x400m relay team's victory celebrations on Saturday had been overshadowed by speculation in the Western media that the kiss with Yulia Gushchina had been intended as a protest.
"There was no hidden political motive," she said of the kiss, shown by television channels around the world.
"Instead of congratulating the athletes, they (the press) decided to insult not only Yulia but the whole (Russian) athletics federation. First of all, both Yulia and I are married," she said to applause form Russian journalists.
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"It was a wave of unbelievable feelings and if somehow, completely by chance, while we were congratulating each other, our lips touched ... whoever fantasises about that is sick."
Hahaha, "somehow our lips touched"? Look at that photo again.
It amazes me that two people can be so insanely stupid as to think that people were suggesting they were gay and together rather than taking an opportunity to show support for people who, unlike them, are gay and are being oppressed. Amazed enough that I have difficulty believing it, and instead have my suspicions that they were, shall we say, strongly advised to discourage any notion that they were making a political statement. Which I completely believe they weren't; it's totally plausible that it was just a celebratory thing.
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Hahaha, "somehow our lips touched"? Look at that photo again.
It amazes me that two people can be so insanely stupid as to think that people were suggesting they were gay and together rather than taking an opportunity to show support for people who, unlike them, are gay and are being oppressed. Amazed enough that I have difficulty believing it, and instead have my suspicions that they were, shall we say, strongly advised to discourage any notion that they were making a political statement. Which I completely believe they weren't; it's totally plausible that it was just a celebratory thing.
Stop trying to destroy my fantasy! It was lesbian thing!
We asked our Russian LGBT counterparts, who are on the front lines of this battle, what we could do that would be most helpful to them and the movement there. Here is what they said:
“Keep the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.” All Russian LGBT organizations oppose an Olympics boycott, as do at least five international LGBT groups.
"Calls for the spectators to boycott Sochi, for the Olympians to retreat from competition… would prevent the rest of the world from joining LGBT people, their families and allies in Russia in solidarity and taking a firm stance against the disgraceful human rights record in this country.” –Russian LGBT Network
Would it be possible for participating countries to adopt official uniforms that incorporate rainbow piping, so that individual athletes aren't left having to take that stance themselves?
Hell, even a rainbow maple leaf would be pretty dope on an otherwise red uniform.
Even if it was only Canada and the nordic nations that participated, it would send a strong message of support without putting it (figuratively at least) on the shoulders of the athletes.
I'm betting the IOC would reject them. As I predicted, they are making it known they plan to enforce their "no propaganda" rule. I'm not sure how they would enforce it against a large scale thing like that though.
The Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the official government newspaper, published the presidential decree Friday, listing an array of measures tightening security in the Olympic host city, including the ban on public assemblies. All "gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, marches and pickets" that are not part of the Olympics or the Paralympics will be prohibited in Sochi from Jan. 7 to March 21, the decree said.
Government-imposed protest bans across entire cities where Olympics are held are unusual. Putin's decree could be aimed at heading off demonstrations against Russia's ban on alleged gay propaganda, a new law that has been sharply criticized in the West.
Among other measures in the decree were restrictions on vehicles entering Sochi. Only cars with local license plates, emergency vehicles and those accredited by the Olympic organizers will be allowed to enter the host city between Jan. 7 and March 21.
Among other measures in the decree were restrictions on vehicles entering Sochi. Only cars with local license plates, emergency vehicles and those accredited by the Olympic organizers will be allowed to enter the host city between Jan. 7 and March 21.
So...they don't want people to attend the games?...
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These Olympics are turning into a parody at this point. What a joke.
The LGBT issue is pretty much covering up for all the other reasons why Sochi should never have been given the olympics. It's a really long list, here's just a couple of things.
Russia is a winter country. It’s hard to find a place on the map of Russia where there hasn’t been snow and where winter sports are not developed. But Putin found such a spot and decided to hold the winter Olympics there. It’s the city of Sochi.
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The weather in February 2013 in Krasnaya Polyana was characterized by high temperatures in comparison to previous years. Thus, on February 7 (the proposed opening day for 2014), the daytime temperature was +13 C, and on 11 February is rose to +15 C. The average daytime air temperature in Krasnaya Polyana from 7- 23 February (the days of the Games) was +8 C of warmth.
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In 2012, there were 40 accidents at Olympics construction sites and 25 people were killed. The poor quality of the construction, the violation of technical standards and rules are connected with the use of cheap and poorly-qualified labor.
Russian authorities have cracked down on journalists and activists who are bringing to light corruption and overspending, as well as other issues, around the nation’s hosting of the 2014 Winter Olympics,
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At a cost of $50 billion, the Sochi Olympics will be the most expensive Olympic Games, summer or winter, ever held. While Olympic costs typically have overruns below 200 percent, Sochi’s costs are now 500 percent more than originally forecast, according to one estimate. Workers are making less than $500 a week working on construction projects, and according to Human Rights Watch, they often aren’t paid on time. Most don’t receive safety training or health insurance. And according to activists in Russia, the construction projects are rife with corruption.
Last edited by Itse; 08-23-2013 at 02:13 PM.
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The LGBT issue is pretty much covering up for all the other reasons why Sochi should never have been given the olympics. It's a really long list, here's just a couple of things.
Russia is a winter country. It’s hard to find a place on the map of Russia where there hasn’t been snow and where winter sports are not developed. But Putin found such a spot and decided to hold the winter Olympics there. It’s the city of Sochi.
At a cost of $50 billion, the Sochi Olympics will be the most expensive Olympic Games, summer or winter, ever held. While Olympic costs typically have overruns below 200 percent, Sochi’s costs are now 500 percent more than originally forecast, according to one estimate. Workers are making less than $500 a week working on construction projects, and according to Human Rights Watch, they often aren’t paid on time. Most don’t receive safety training or health insurance. And according to activists in Russia, the construction projects are rife with corruption.
Sounds like Sochi is ripping off the climate of the Vancouver Games and the management of the Montreal Games.
Personally, I'm kind of expecting some interesting refereeing and other shenanigans.
Putin is all in with this project, no reason to think he won't try to use every possible trick to make the games a success.
Oh yeah, you would have to be extremely naïve to think that there won't be corruption in these games. The only unknown will be how much, and whether any of it will be exposed (not likely) or not.
I hope for an event that someone gay wins gold, someone else gay wins silver, and during the medal presentation they just start making out hardcore on the podium, daring authorities to arrest them.
