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Russian sprinters appear to protest 'anti gay' law with podium kiss

Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova claimed gold as part of Russia’s 4x400m relay team.

A PODIUM KISS in Moscow has led to further attention being shone on Russia’s harsh new homosexuality laws.

Russian runners Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova kissed on the podium after winning the 4×400 metre relay at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow.

According to Sky News, sources in the Russia team camp are downplaying the incident, saying it was simply a celebration and there were no politics involved.

However, with such intense scrutiny on the World Championships after pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva’s comments last week, the athletes involved were surely aware how the gesture would appear.

It’s the latest twist in a controversy that is only likely to get worse.

YouTube credit: NewsYlc

The upcoming Winter Olympics are due to be held in Sochi, Russia, despite a wave of controversy surrounding the vague and potentially homophobic law. Some athletes have been using the World Athletics Championships to highlight the issue, with American track and field star Nick Symmonds dedicating his medal to his gay family and friends, and Swedish athletes painting their nails rainbow colors in support of gay rights.

‘Anti gay’ law furore Western media invention, claims Russian sports minister

Snapshot: The women’s 4x100m relay final wasn’t exactly a photo finish

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    Mute Nick Richards
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:32 AM

    If this is the kind of protest we can expect at the Athletics and upcoming Winter Olympics, then it’s probably my duty to watch. In support of the issue like

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    Mute everlast mccarthy
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:53 AM

    Unless if course it’s the Russian women shot putters..

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:59 AM

    I don’t think they do shot putting in the Winter Olympics

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    Mute Anthony Agusta
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    Aug 19th 2013, 12:22 PM

    Any port in a storm

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    Mute Jed I. Knight
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:29 AM

    In fairness things like this have become so common in the West that they barely raise an eyebrow these days unless there’s a statement behind them. What these girls have done may well have put their liberty, if not their lives, at risk and was certainly a brave thing to do in Putin’s Russia today.

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    Mute Martin Matthews
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    Aug 19th 2013, 8:04 AM

    They are brave women . Look what happened to pussy riot when they protested. a being gay definitly had an impact on their sentecing

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    Mute Tonybeegood
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:47 AM

    Nobody minds 2 girls kissing, but when men are doing it then it all just seems wrong. This is that the majority of people think, hence the popularity of lesbian porn.

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    Mute Brendan Harlowe
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    Aug 19th 2013, 8:39 AM

    Your right though so don’t know why people are red thumbing! Two men would cause uproar !

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    Mute Frank Moynihan
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    Aug 19th 2013, 8:43 AM

    Argh….lesbians good….gays bad….argh!

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    Mute Moe Sizlack
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:44 AM

    Definitely a way better story than twilight.

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    Mute Stephen O'Donnell
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:41 AM

    Two women kissing. Watching dem Olympics!

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Aug 19th 2013, 10:40 AM

    Putin is going to get it in the mush now. There will be all sorts of support / protests at the Olympics. Well done to these two athletes, I hope that medieval regime will leave them alone.

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    Mute itiswhatitisMF
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:25 AM

    These new laws brought in shows the ignorance of Putin.

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    Mute Colm Maloney
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    Aug 19th 2013, 5:37 AM

    Really conclusive , next there will be an article when a male athlete gets a bouquet on the podium. Athlete protest by accepting flowers. Slow news day

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    Mute Johnny Ace
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    Aug 19th 2013, 10:32 AM

    You go girls!

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    Mute Dublinjonny
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    Aug 19th 2013, 12:07 PM

    No one else think Putin is hating on Gays because he is one , trying to pose macho in every photo oppertunity he gets ? Thats right Vladimar we all see how manly you are topless pretending you wrestled a bear …brokeback mountain style

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    Mute Moe Sizlack
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    Aug 19th 2013, 12:30 PM

    Nail on the head there dub jonny. so macho

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    Mute eric grixy
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    Aug 19th 2013, 5:56 AM

    the journalists in dublin are up early this morning !

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    Mute Colin C
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    Aug 19th 2013, 5:44 AM

    Reminiscent of Tommie Smith and John Carlos in ’68 Olympics. Wonderful!

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    Mute Joe Mahon
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:54 AM

    No it’s not

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    Mute Dave Gaughran
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    Aug 19th 2013, 10:20 AM

    Yes it is, That’s the iconic athletes protest, they definitely would have had that in mind when they planned this protest.

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    Mute Mark Payne
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    Aug 19th 2013, 1:46 PM
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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Aug 19th 2013, 2:05 PM

    That link in the article presents the same angle, the same ‘sources within the camp’.

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    Mute Colin C
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:14 PM

    Of course they’ll claim it wasn’t a protest. Do you know what happens to protesters in Russia, especially those “advocating non traditional relationships”? I don’t care if they’re gay or not, it was a wonderful demonstration of the nonsensical russian situation.

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    Mute Mr Jingles
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:22 AM

    Someone give that girl something to eat!

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    Mute Jack Strong
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    Aug 19th 2013, 10:55 AM

    She’s a gold medal winning athlete. She has a better diet than you,

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    Mute Eileen Beattie
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:21 AM

    Amy news on Solheim Cup? Had to hit the hay last night during their electrical storm break. Just wondering does anybody know did Europe retain the cup? Twas looking likely. Sorry for posting here but I can’t find the results anywhere

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    Mute ClubHotelBars.ie
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:29 AM

    Yes Eur 18 pts U.S.A 10 pts

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    Mute Moe Sizlack
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:53 AM

    @eileen , are u trying to tell us, fellow journal readers that if you type solheim cup into google and press “I’m feeling lucky” your not getting lucky ??

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    Mute Ciaran Kennedy
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    Aug 19th 2013, 8:27 AM

    U are looking in the wrong places, try some news sites

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    Mute banchang
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    Aug 19th 2013, 1:18 PM

    Google is your friend.

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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Aug 19th 2013, 8:18 AM

    Normal Russian practise. Have you forgotten the sight of Soviet era politicians kssing each other on the lips at every offical function.

    17
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    Mute Mjhint
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:09 AM

    I agree this does not seem like a protest to me. Even Russian men greet good friends like this. This is media hype.

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    Mute Eamonn Colfer
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    Aug 19th 2013, 4:40 PM

    Straight Russian men kissing on the lips? Really.

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    Mute Eamonn Colfer
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    Aug 19th 2013, 4:40 PM

    Actually that custom is kissing on the cheeks.

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    Mute Patrick
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    Aug 19th 2013, 11:31 AM

    I witnessed something like this in 2005 at 2 am after the fiddler’s waiting for the bus in Carrickmacross while eating a bag of chips, helped to pass the time.

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    Mute PcDoctor Limerick
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:06 PM

    Ah ya 2005 before everything went tits up.

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    Mute Dexter Gordon
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    Aug 19th 2013, 8:56 AM
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    Mute Mark Payne
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    Aug 19th 2013, 11:18 AM

    Not a protest against gay law. It is normal in Russia to kiss people of the same sex on the lips. Remember the communist leaders did it all the time!
    http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/18/russian-athletes-just-kissing-not-protesting-against-anti-gay-laws-3928683/

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    Mute mikeobrien4FM
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:59 AM

    Moee of these videos please!!!!!!

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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:16 AM

    Putin probably told them to do it.

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    Mute Fin Tastic
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:10 AM

    You’re mixed up – that’s Berlusconi.

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    Mute Mr Know It All
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    Aug 19th 2013, 12:17 PM

    Incredible. For the people supporting their pole volter’s disgusting comments the last day saying “she’s an athlete its not her business” some things transcend sport. These two women took a stand and they are real heroes.

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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    Aug 19th 2013, 3:39 PM

    Mr Know, the feminine of hero is heroine. Oh, hang on……….Russian female athletes. Hmmm. You may have been right first time.
    Sorry. As you were.

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    Mute Mr Know It All
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:51 PM

    Thought the word was done away with along with actress and chairperson etc. We’ll all have the same genitalia soon, it will be glorious.

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    Mute Jeff O'Reilly
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    Aug 20th 2013, 8:17 AM

    jesus i’ll never get out of bed then!

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    Mute Eileen Beattie
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    Aug 19th 2013, 7:44 AM

    @ClubHotelBars.ie Thanks :)

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Aug 19th 2013, 3:30 PM

    How exactly does this break the ‘anti gay’ law in Russia, sure we all know one of them is a man.

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    Mute banchang
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    Aug 19th 2013, 1:17 PM

    I could watch that Youtube all day.

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    Mute John Kelly
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    Aug 19th 2013, 1:34 PM

    Nice

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