PM rejects Fry Olympic boycott call

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 10 Agustus 2013 | 19.12

10 August 2013 Last updated at 06:21 ET

The Prime Minister has rejected a call from broadcaster Stephen Fry to strip Russia of the 2014 Winter Olympics because of its treatment of gay people.

In an open letter on his website Fry said Russia was "making scapegoats of gay people".

David Cameron said he shared Fry's "deep concern about the abuse of gay people in Russia", but did not support a boycott.

He said: "I believe we can better challenge prejudice as we attend."

A Russian law, passed in June, prescribes heavy fines for anyone providing information about homosexuality to people under 18.

'Absolute ban'

In his letter, which was published on Wednesday, Mr Fry compared the situation to the decision to hold the 1936 games in Nazi Germany.

In Russia, he wrote: "Beatings, murders and humiliations are ignored by the police. Any defence or sane discussion of homosexuality is against the law."

"It is simply not enough to say that gay Olympians may or may not be safe in their village. An absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014 is simply essential," he also said.

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The Games themselves should be open to all, free of discrimination."

End Quote Jacques Rogge President, International Olympics Committee

"Stage them elsewhere in Utah, Lillyhammer [sic], anywhere you like. At all costs (Russian President Vladimir) Putin cannot be seen to have the approval of the civilised world."

He urged International Olympics Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge and his fellow committee members to "take a firm stance on behalf of the shared humanity it is supposed to represent".

'Need clarification'

On Saturday, Mr Rogge said he had asked Russia to explain how its new law on gay propaganda might affect the games.

He said in Moscow that Russia's written reassurances over the Winter Olympics needed clarification.

"We don't think it is a fundamental issue, more a translation issue," Mr Rogge added.

"We are not clear about the English translation of the Russian law and we want clarification of this translation to be able to understand what has been communicated to us," he said.

Mr Rogge was visiting Moscow ahead of the the world athletics championships due to start there on Saturday.

He stressed that, under the Olympic charter, sport was a "human right and should be available to all regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation".


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