This year’s Olympics have been a shining example of LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and visibility with the IOC I and Tokyo even providing the athletes with Pride House, the games’ LGBT hospitality centre.
Well no such joy in Russia, who are banned from the games due to state sponsored doping which means their remaining, non-cheating athletes compete under the Russian Olympic Committee banner and whilst they can win medals, the national anthem is not played.
The state TV channels Rossiya 1 and Channel One have been littered with foul anti-LGBT remarks from the outset with two pundits, former government ministers of course, using such using word like ‘abominations’, ‘perversion’ and ‘disgusted’ all under the banner of ‘traditional values’.
We won’t bother using the pundits names as really, who cares, but their ire was particularly directed at Kiwi trans athlete Laurel Hubbard and Team GB’s Tom Daley. Even the presenters didn’t seen too bothered with one of them, Olga Skabeyeva, suggesting that the EU was penalising Hungary and Poland by withdrawing funding because “the majority is against homosexuality” in both countries, referring to various government sponsored anti-LGBT moves in the last few years.
We apologise if you had to experience this cesspit if shit masquerading as Olympic coverage. The IOC is investigating its Russian TV partners and said “We welcome that Tokyo 2020 has embedded diversity and inclusion in the Olympic Games model.”