Russian Athletes Kiss After Winning Gold In Possible Protest Of Anti-Gay Law

After winning the 4x400-meter relay at World Athletics Championships
Saturday, runners Tatyana Firova and Kseniya Ryzhova shared a kiss.
Then the gold medalists kissed again during the award ceremony.
While some speculated that the Russian athletes' kiss on the winners
podium was an apparent jab at the country's anti-gay law, local media
questioned whether it was a political gesture or
simply a congratulatory
embrace.

Neither athlete has released a statement, so the kiss may have been just
that -- a kiss. However, as Gay Star News notes, the Russian athletes' kiss
does violate the anti-gay law passed by Russia's parliament earlier this
year. So the two women could, theoretically, be prosecuted for their
public lip-lock, since it could be perceived as propagating non-traditional
sexual relations.
Meanwhile, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko addressed the
commotion over Russia's "gay propaganda" law Sunday, blaming the
media for blowing it out of proportion.
"I think this is kind of an invented problem," he told reporters during a
press conference, according to Reuters. "We don't have a law banning
non-traditional sexual relations, we have a different law."
Mutko is of course referring to the calls for a boycott of the 2014 Winter
Olympics that will be held in Sochi. Russian authorities recently
confirmed that athletes and spectators visiting the Russian city will be
required to abide by the country's laws, including its anti-gay legislation.
However, Mutko said that visitors in Sochi will still be "granted all rights
and freedoms."