Monday, August 26, 2013

Sidney Crosby, Shea Weber Say They Oppose Russian Anti-Gay Law

Sidney Crosby, the 26-year-old captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Shea Weber, the 28-year-old defenceman of the Nashville Predators, on Sunday came out against a Russian anti-gay law.
The law, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, makes “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors” illegal. Its passage has provoked an international outcry and calls for a boycott of the Winter Olympics to be held next year in Sochi.
The hockey players made their remarks during a news conference to kick off Canada's Olympic training camp, the Calgary Herald reported.
“For me growing up in Canada, my view has always been that way. I think that everyone has an equal right to play and I think we've been supportive of that. With the Olympics and the controversy around that I think those decisions and those laws aren't necessarily something that I agree with personally,” Crosby said.
Weber, an active supporter of You Can Play, the anti-homophobia in sports campaign, echoed Crosby's views: “Like Sidney said, the way we're brought up is different than how the Russians view it. We're going over there to play hockey and obviously that's what we're going to try to focus on.”
Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada, agreed.
“The players have the right to speak out as they feel and we've been in constant communication with the Canadian Olympic Committee and totally support the stance they're making,” he said.
Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, 23, added: “It's hard to go into a country that supports something like that. As athletes, we have to find a way to make sure we can use it to our advantage – gay rights, especially, but human rights – to move it forward.”
I'm finding it quite disconcerting that apparently str8, gay ally athletes, are doing a better job at speaking out about this Olympic bullshit than the gay athletes themselves, whom seem more concerned about themselves than they do their gay brothers and sisters.
 

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