Olympic heroine backtracks on ‘homophobic’ comments
Yelena Isinbayeva says her apparent condemnation of homosexuality was “misunderstood”. Russian gay activists say her comments are typical of a climate of intolerance promoted by the Kremlin.
The double Olympic gold medallist, who is a sporting superstar in Russia, was heavily criticised by other athletes after she backed a new law banning “propaganda” that promotes “non-traditional” relationships to children.
Gay rights activists say the references to children is a smokescreen, and the legislation will lead to the banning of gay rights rallies the prosecution of people who express support for homosexuals.
Speaking in English on Thursday, Isinbayeva said: “If we allow to promote and do all this stuff on the street, we are very afraid about our nation because we consider ourselves like normal, standard people. We just live with boys with woman, woman with boys.”
US runner Nick Symmonds said he was shocked by the comments, adding: “She crossed the line to me in that she’s not recognising the normality of our gay and lesbian friends and not wanting their happiness and their rights.”
The world silver medallist said he had been warned that he could be jailed if he wears a rainbow badge in support of gay rights while competing in Russia.
British heptathlete Louise Hazel called for Isinbayeva to be stripped of her role as mayor of the athletes’ village at the Winter Games, which is due to be held in the Russian ski resort of Sochi in six months’ time.
English is not my first language and I think I may have been misunderstood when I spoke yesterday. Yelena Isinbayeva
On Friday Isinbayeva backtracked from her comments, saying in a statement: “English is not my first language and I think I may have been misunderstood when I spoke yesterday. What I wanted to say was that people should respect the laws of other countries, particularly when they are guests.
“I respect the views of my fellow athletes, and let me state in the strongest terms that I am opposed to any discrimination against gay people.”
The International Olympic Committee said it had noted her statement, and said it had asked the Russian government to clarify how the law will be applied during the Sochi Games.
Russian officials have made contradictory statements about whether the legislation will be enforced among athletes and spectators.
Little appetite for boycott
Leading Russian gay activist Nikolai Alexeyev reacted scornfully to Isinbayeva’s statement, saying: “An athlete of such calibre should be thinking about what she is saying.
“And Russia should first abide by its own international obligations before it demands from foreigners to abide by its own laws here.
“Therefore, unfortunately Isinbayeva has made a big mistake. She realised it today and started trying to get out of this situation.
“She tried to deny what she said, blaming the difficulty with translation, the difficulty with using the (foreign) language and so on. But that does not change a thing.”
‘Monstrous laws’
But Mr Alexeyev has said he does not support calls for a boycott of Sochi, saying: “I think much better would be to invite people here to Russia, come to Sochi, take part in the Olympic Games and attract full attention to the gay rights issue.
“Let them come and see for themselves just how monstrous laws are in this country.”
Other gay Russians have also given the idea of a boycott of the Games a lukewarm reception.
Irina Shumova, a 24-year-old Russian expat who regularly travels to Moscow to attend gay rights rallies, told us: “Lots of people in the UK ask me about this, but when I talk to people back in Russia, they are just not interested. It’s much less of a burning question for them.
“I personally think that both boycotting and not boycotting, but being vocal, are valid tactics.”
New law ‘gives licence to homophobia’
Ms Shumova said the wave of homophobic violence and intolerance reported in Russia in recent months can be directly linked to president Vladimir Putin‘s anti-gay policies.
She said Isinbayeva’s original comments have become the “mainstream thing to say” and the Russian state habitually turns a blind eye to extreme displays of homophobia.
The main effect of the anti-gay laws is not about actually prosecuting people, it’s about giving licence to people to say things like this. Irina Shumova
“The main effect of the anti-gay laws is not about actually prosecuting people, it’s about giving licence to people to say things like this.
“Things have definitely been more of an issue in the past year than they have been at any time since the removal of the laws banning homosexuality (in 1993).
“Obviously there is a historical basis for this – there is a lot of culturally ingrained homophobia. But the state has intentionally stirred things up.
“When you go to a protest in Moscow that’s about queer rights, there will be people protesting against the protest by people who call themselves Orthodox (Christian) activists.
“They show up and they try to provoke people by throwing rotten eggs and whatnot. Sometimes they try to get into a fight. The police will be there to keep order, but they will usually stand back and let it happen, then arrest the gay activists.”