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More than 50 Olympians come out against Russia’s anti-gay laws
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/31/more-than-50-olympians-come-out-against-russias-anti-gay-laws/
More than 50 Olympians come out against Russia’s anti-gay laws
By Agence France-Presse
Friday, January 31, 2014 9:57 EST
More than 50 Olympians past and present have put their names to a growing petition calling on Russia to cease its crackdown on gays ahead of the Sochi Winter Games, activists said Thursday.
The online petition, which has gathered more than 405,000 signatures, appears on the websites of global equality group All Out and Athlete Ally, which tackles homophobia in sports.
In a statement, the two groups also announced protests to be held in Moscow, Sochi, London, Rio de Janeiro and other cities on February 5, two days before the start of one of the most controversial Olympic Games in years.
Among the Olympians past and present who have signed the petition are Sochi-bound snowboarder Belle Brockhoff and bobsleigh pilot Heath Spence, both from Australia, along with Canadian skier Mike Janyk.