The government agency controlling Russia's police force confirmed Aug. 12 that it would be enforcing the anti-gay law during the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The Interior Ministry statement, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, said that, "The law enforcement agencies can have no qualms with people who harbor a nontraditional sexual orientation and do not commit such acts (to promote homosexuality to minors), do not conduct any kind of provocation and take part in the Olympics peacefully."
The statement further attempted to downplay the perception of discrimination, saying that discussion of violating the rights of gays and lesbians was "totally unfounded and contrived."
Alexander Zhukov, head of Russia's National Olympic Committee, also said, "If a person does not put across his views in the presence of children, no measures against him can be taken."
Zhukov's comments, however, point to a major uncertaintyRussian police officers have a wide berth in defining what constitutes "putting across views." The International Olympics Committee said Friday that it had been waiting for "clarification" on the enforcement of the laws.
Meanwhile President Obama said Aug. 6 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that the country "wouldn't tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently." Later in the week he added that a boycott would nullify the time and training that LGBT athletes invested in their Olympic goals.
"One of the things I'm really looking forward to is maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which would, I think, go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we're seeing there," Obama said in a press conference Friday.
But many commentators continue to urge for a boycott. Actor Stephen Fry wrote an open letter to the IOC and British Prime Minister David Cameron Wednesday that said "an absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014 in 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 civilized world."
Out journalist Masha Gessen, who had spent much time in the U.S., wrote in the Guardian Monday that she was leaving Russia. "My family is moving to New York. We have the money and documents needed to do that with relative easeunlike thousands of other LGBT families and individuals in Russia."