Although a boycott call has been heard for a while, most gay athletes believe that the best policy is to participate in the Sochi games and not to boycott them, since the latter would effectively give Putin a win.
But the heads of state can boycott effectively and send a message, and that's exactly what German President Gauck did.
The boycott is intended as a protest against human rights violations, a sore subject for the Russian premiere, and oppression of the political opposition. No direct mention was made about the treatment of homosexual, although that would come under the umbrella of human rights violation.
Although athletes are protesting the recent law that bans any mention of homosexuality in the press, so as to not 'impress unfavorably Russia's youth', Gauck has gone out of his way to deny that his boycott is to interpreted as a lack of support for German athletes.
The Russian United party has lashed back at Gauck's announcement by saying that the President is trying to aggrandize his position and is using his statement for personal political gain. Of course, the customary threat of severing ties or at least cooling them, between the two countries was immediately raised.
But Gauck has a past which should leave not doubt as to his sincerity: his father was a prisoner in Russia's camps for civil right activism while a citizen of East Germany. There is little doubt that Gauck has an ax to grind when it comes to Putin, something that could diminish the impact of his gesture.
Partial Source : Spiegel International: 12.11.13
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