And Gaylord believes it’s more likely that a protest would come from a straight sympathizer than an LGBT Olympian - someone, for instance, like U.S.
“But my guess is that something will happen, and it won’t be punished,” he says, noting that IOC president Thomas Bach has clarified that Principle Six indeed is intended to condemn discrimination against gays, even if the clause doesn’t specifically mention them.
Shawn Gaylord, the LGBT advocacy counsel for Human Rights First, isn’t aware of any specific athlete protest in the works. “Performing well, that’s their primary purpose. “I want to take that burden off them,” says Pichler, who captained the U.S. He is also in town in solidarity with a closeted gay Russian friend - an Olympic gold medalist - as well as to keep current Olympians, gay and straight, from having to take up a cause unrelated to their medal quests. “I’d extend myself to the IOC or the USOC, if there are any athletes in fear of being open about themselves, just to have someone to talk to,” he says. Pichler came to Sochi with an offer to speak with athletes who might want reassurance about what it means to compete as gay Olympians.
