A new petition calling on Team GB to wear rainbow colours at next year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia has been launched by Change.org
The petition, which urges Team GB to wear the rainbow colours in solidarity with Russia’s LGBT community and has so far garnered over 3,000 signatories, follows the country’s President Vladimir Putin signing into law an anti-propaganda bill banning the promotion of ‘non-traditional’ relations to minors.
The petition reads:
“Russia, the next site for the Olympic Winter Games in 2014, is committing some horrible human rights violations. We cannot turn a blind eye to the plight of not only Russian citizens, but those citizens of other nations that are endangered by the anti-LGBT laws that have been created in this part of the world. We need to stand up and put pressure on them to change.
“Calling for the United Olympic Committee to withdraw the team from competition, and boycott Sochi 2014 is not intended to punish the athletes who have worked hard for this opportunity. It is our hope that all Olympians will stand with us and speak out against these violations, and let the world know that we cannot in good conscience participate in these games if Russia insists on oppressing its citizens.”
The law has so far sparked controversy among LGBT activists, with some calling for a boycott of the 2014 Games. Others, including Peter Tatchell, have also called to boycott Russian vodka as a form of protest.
To sign the petition, CLICK HERE:
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