Controversy, glitz and fear kicks off the Sochi Olympics - AGI - Italian News Agency

February 8, 2014 08:22

(AGI) – Rome, February 8 – Sports and controversy, provocation and poisons: the eyes of the world are on Sochi2014 and the opening ceremony of the XXII Winter Olympic Games which will open today at 20:14. “The Games of Vladimir Putin,” as they were dubbed, started with great fanfare and drum rolls, but in a whirlwind of controversy and provocation against the Russian law on gay propaganda. The expected performance of the lesbian duo t.A.T.u. and ‘turn, however, without scandal: women sang one of their pieces’ famous, “Not gonna get us”, hand in hand, involving the public Fisht the Olympic Stadium but without giving excesses, even the lesbian kiss that made him famous a video of their past.

The controversy over gay rights remains strong: Barack Obama stressed that the choice of openly gay athletes to parade at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi is a definite stance of the U.S.: “There is no ‘doubt’, U.S. President noted, “we wanted to make it very clear that we do not accept any kind of discrimination on anything, including discrimination based on sexual orientation.” For the opening parade of the Games, the U.S. has chosen from among the other skater Brian Boitano and hockey player Caitlin Cahow, both homosexuals. And yet Google and ‘took to the field with a’ doodle ‘that recalls the colors of the rainbow LGBT flag and with the passage of the Olympic Charter “sport without discrimination.” References to the controversy over anti-gay law were then read also in the uniforms chosen by different country: the more ‘controversial’ was that of Germany who chose a jacket ‘rainbow’ (symbol of the claims of the community ‘LGBT) denying, however, any reference to the controversy about gays. Gloves ‘rainbow’ even in the currencies of the Russians who may have wanted to get away so that all the allegations. While a rainbow flag ‘was raised in Vancouver, Canada, in support of homosexuals, again from the North American country and’ got a video of ironic protest that shows two Canadian athletes engaged one behind the other in a departure tobogganing with above which runs the inscription: “The Games have always been a bit ‘gay’.

Meanwhile, LGBT groups have denounced the arrest of four activists in St. Petersburg LGBT group including Anastasia Smirnova Network. They unfurled a banner.
The other challenge extra-sporty ‘that security.
Obama noted that “the Russians have every interest in preventing any type of terrorist action or violence, there have invested huge resources. ” But meanwhile, has warned Washington “toothpaste-bomb” on flights to Russia.
In Sochi and ‘came the President of the Council, Enrico Letta, who explained the reasons for his presence: “Our athletes are carriers of the values ??that our flag itself ‘summarizes: freedom’, equality, the condemnation of all forms of discrimination. “

Meanwhile, Irina Rodnina and Vladislav Tretyak, two great athletes of the past of Russia, were the last two torchbearers who carried the Olympic torch and lit the brazier so that officially opened the Games. Among the samples of the torchbearers also the rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, who won in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and which is referred to as the companion of Putin.