Posted on 12/19/2013 4:33:03 PM PST by bigtoona
Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano came out Thursday, two days after he was named to the U.S. delegation for Sochi along with openly gay athletes Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow. The 1988 gold medalist had always kept his personal life private, saying in a statement that "being gay is just one part of who I am." But President Barack Obama's decision to include openly gay athletes in the delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies — and not send high-ranking officials — was widely seen as a message to Russia about its treatment of gays and lesbians. "First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance," Boitano said in his statement. "As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations." Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda," and some suggested the United States should boycott the Sochi Olympics in protest. Obama rejected that idea earlier this year, saying a stronger statement could be made by "gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze." But his choices for the U.S. delegation left little doubt about Obama's disapproval of the new Russian law.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
Wow. I never saw this one coming.....
Let me get this straight about the Skaters in particular.
They work out on the ice 4 to 8 hrs a day @ that level, do off ice training, weights, aerobic, message, possible sports psychologist and 4 to 6 coaches to work on every facet of their routines, for a 4:00 minute skate ( their Long Program ) that started with learn to skate programs and became a life of hard work for the skaters and their parents?
Obama shouldn't get politics into this, Carter did and look where it got us.
Besides, they need to eat good, get acclimated to the time change, and get plenty of rest and not get a stomach virus or the flu...
These athletes have way more on their plate than his political statement....
Just let um be young adults and enjoy this experience that they worked a life time to partake in.
He's more of a Commie that Putin, with the Commies it is always about the agenda....
One more thing, and don’t get a last minute injury during final training their or get your skates lost on the airlines... Yes it has happened and it is a nightmare....
You all who “have known it for years”: the rest of us do not regularly patronize bathhouses!
I’ve got a friend who was the last one to figure out he was gay. I knew he was gay a long time ago. Teenage boys just don’t get that excited over the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Di. LOL
I see he’s siding with the Duck Dynasty family and encouraging people to buy their products and not the ones under the Duck Dynasty label because that money goes mostly to A&E.
Well, who would have guessed?
What next? Jewish comedians?
You can't claim victim status until you come out officially, I guess.
A gay blade?
If Russia bans gays from the Olympics, male figure skating will be devastated, possibly women’s too.
Like we didn’t know.
I truly hope the Russians lure some of these homosexuals out of their compound with offers of muscle men and fat cheeked little boys, to a bad part of town, take lots of embarrassing (read “bare-assing”) pictures of them, then return them after a night in jail, and file an official protest.
“Russia does not appreciate the ‘sexual tourists’ sent here, as part of the US delegation, and strongly protests their behavior with young boys. We demand that the US refrain from doing this in the future.”
If Russia bans gays from the Olympics, say goodbye to ice hockey!
well, duh
He was an excellent skater.
Shocked, shocked I tell you.
Years ago that guy maxed out my gay detector so far that it exploded.
Y-a-w-n....
Sorry dude, we’re no longer enthralled nor shocked by “atheletes” who come out of their closets...
Shut up and skate. Nobody cares.
lol
Don't need to. Just need to see and hear him once on TV and that is enough.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.