12 September 2013, 12:05
McFaul: States will not boycott Sochi Olympics
The United States of America have no intention to boycott the Olympic Games in Sochi, because of the Russia's recent law banning the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations, said Michael McFaul, the US Ambassador to Russia.
"We'll not support any boycott actions, because we don't believe that we should sacrifice our athletes for the sake of politics," he said.
The "Caucasian Knot" has informed that the law passed in June, which introduced fines for promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships, had caused concern of the international community, including the US State Department, which worried about a possible threat of non-respect of the rights of gay athletes at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. The US President Barack Obama has also criticized the law.
As explained by Mr McFaul, the US government is not able even to announce a boycott, as the country's Olympic Committee is a nongovernmental organization and decides on such matters by its own.
Let us remind you that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also urged not to politicize the Olympics in Sochi because of a law banning gay propaganda, while the Olympic Committee of Russia has promised that there will be no discrimination of any gay athletes who will come to the competitions.
