British PM rules out boycott of Winter Olympics over gay rights abuse
British Prime Minister David Cameron has ruled out a boycott of the Sochi Winter Olympics, claiming that anti-gay prejudice will be better tackled by attending the showpiece event.
In response to a high-profile intervention from broadcaster Stephen Fry calling for the Games to be moved, David Cameron said he had shared the “deep concern” about the abuse of gay people in Russia.
But writing on Twitter the Prime Minister said: “I believe we can better challenge prejudice as we attend, rather than boycotting the Winter Olympics.”
1/2 Thank you for your note @stephenfry. I share your deep concern about the abuse of gay people in Russia...
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) August 10, 2013
2/2 @stephenfry However, I believe we can better challenge prejudice as we attend, rather than boycotting the Winter Olympics. DC
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) August 10, 2013
Fry had urged the Prime Minister to support moves to strip Russia of the 2014 Winter Olympics over concerns about anti-gay laws passed in the country.
The broadcaster, writing in an open letter on his website, compared the situation to the decision to hold the 1936 games in Nazi Germany and said President Vladimir Putin “is making scapegoats of gay people”.
He said: “An absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014 on Sochi is simply essential. Stage them elsewhere in Utah, Lillehammer, anywhere you like. At all costs Putin cannot be seen to have the approval of the civilised world.”
