MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that his country will not allow any form of discrimination during the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi which are slated for February 7-23.
In his address to a ceremony of delivery presentations of diplomatic credentials in the Kremlin Palace, Putin expressed the hope that the games will be a big festival for sports fans from around the world.
“We in Russia, of course, will be rooting for our athletes, but we wish success to all participants of the Olympics. We always can appreciate achievements of any athletes from any country,” Putin said.
“The Games will be held in full accordance with the Olympic Charter – without any discrimination for any reason,” he said.
Putin said that over 6,000 athletes from 85 countries and regions and hundreds of thousand visitors were expected to Sochi.
The Russian president said that members of the delegations will be able to come to Russia without a visa, which would be a first for the Olympic movement.
Putin further said that Russian embassies and consular offices around the world have special departments dedicated to issuing entry permits to accredited guests of the games.
The Sochi Olympics “will brings peoples closer together, strengthen friendship, trust and partnership in the entire world,” the Russian president hopes.
Putin’s words come amid calls from gay rights activists to boycott the Olympic Games in Russia in a protest against the country’s so-called gay propaganda law.
The controversial legislation bans propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors and is viewed as discriminatory by its critics.
The 22nd Winter Olympics are slated for February 7-23 with competition for 98 sets of medals. The Paralympics are to take place on March 7-16.
