Was Russian female joggers podium kiss protesting anti

starting with facts: Two members of the Russian female's 4x400 meter relay team, Kseniya Ryzhova furthermore Tatyana Firova, Kissed on the podium after their team won gold Saturday at the World Athletics champion in Moscow.

The smooch sparked a huge answer, With many on Twitter and in just a few media outlets (significantly Spanish language ones, Judging by my search the other day) Framing it as a demonstration against Russia's "lgbt propaganda" rule.

It seemed to be a stand of solidarity with the LGBT community. It had been, As Russian causes told Sky News, A celebratory gesture especially since another photo shows the pair kissing after winning their race. on the other hand, Perhaps they wanted take a stand twice, And Sky News' sources are going to do damage control.

i'm not sure it really matters, Since the debate over motives has drawn even more attention to how athletes russian ladies must stifle their beliefs facing Russia's growing anti gay attitudes and sports organizations' insistence on apoliticism.

The IAAF World Athletics championships have been the first major test of how Russian legislation prohibiting "Propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" Would impact athletes competing in Russia and on everyone stage. with all the current Sochi Olympics in six months, doubts about how (properly if) The law will be enforced are plenty of.

The track and field competing pages hasn't provided answers about potential arrests and deportations at least not public ones. But it has exposed how absurdly insistent sporting merchants are on keeping sports in a vacuum.

Ryzhova and Firova's kiss came days after Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva criticized a Swedish competitor for painting her fingernails rainbow supporting the LGBT community. Isinbayeva also said Russians considered their business "standard, ultimate standard" that "Just live boys with person, hunny with boys,

Since making those responses, Isinbayeva has backtracked somewhat and said she was misinterpreted because she was speaking in English and not her native Russian. (please note: this led to not an apology.)

Her Swedish fellow, Emma eco-friendly Tregaro, Has swapped her nail polish for an apolitical red, since the Swedish track and field federation asked her to. unsurprisingly the IAAF, Track's governing body, Warned the Swedes that Green Tregaro's nail polish may have violated its code of conduct despite a statement from a spokesman citing the company "Belief in free manifestation as a basic human right, indicates we must respect the opinions of both Green Tregaro and Isinbayeva,

funny enough,plainly not. as it happens free expression is only acceptable when it's taken off the track and out of view. The International Olympic Committee has taken quite similar stance, Saying competitors could be disqualified from the Winter Games for making presentations in Sochi. Both groups' policies have tough the effects for athletes who wish to compete as out, very Olympians.

to be sure, Neither group's "Shut up and are competing" Dictum is as oppressive a law that threatens to imprison Russians for making their views on equality. But the IAAF and IOC's policies are furthermore archaic.

As they arrive in Russia over the next couple of months, LGBT athletes and their allies will be ready draw attention to the plights of Russians being silenced, assaulted and tortured. If competitors choose to get familiar with gestures as small as a rainbow flag pin or multicolored nail polish, What business do unusual sports federations have stopping them.