Sochi 2014: Why I am watching.

I was going to go for a swim today but the timetable online is hideously outdated so I had actually missed the open swim. Annoying. I swam a lot when I was younger and then at university but I have been hideously lazy during unemployment and the fantastic athletes at the Winter Olympics have spurred me on to be more active.

Speaking of the Winter Olympics, I have been watching the first few days coverage with much enjoyment and have been supporting Team GB with much enthusiasm.

But with this has come some measure of inexplicable guilt as even though I have carefully considered my relationship to the Sochi 2014 Winter Games and my decision to watch and support Team GB I understand those who aren't. The human rights abuses being carried out against LGBT peoples in Russia are horrific and Putin's administration should be vilified, but I don't think that the Olympics should be boycotted by athletes (I don't think any have this year but it was certainly discussed a few months ago) or that the viewing public should not watch and here is why:

Russia has previously been snubbed at the 1980 Olympics in protest of their invasion of Afghanistan. Seemingly, the Russian's (or USSR as it was at the time) did not care and continued to occupy the territory for four more years.

I understand the desire to hit the sponsors where it hurts, but money has already been paid and the coverage licences already sold. I really don't think that enough people are boycotting for it to make a discernible difference and that there are more effective ways. Also, not watching and not supporting the Winter Games doesn't only hurt the sponsors, which brings me to my next point.

The athletes participating have absolutely nothing to do with the anti-LGBT laws that have been passed. Many of the athletes at Sochi will be at the peak of their careers, scoring their season's bests (some already have), personal bests and perhaps even lifetime bests. To deny them the chance to compete or to ignore their achievements at the games punishes the athletes. Instead, I am openly and vocally supporting the athletes, particularly those who are out and those who a vocal supporters of the LGBT community.

Some people have opined that Clare Balding should not have traveled to Sochi to be the BBC Sports news anchor for the coverage; stating that she is just doing it for the money or that she should be ashamed of herself, like she does not know what homophobia is or has no experience of it. One twat (a tweeter who is an idiot) used a homophobic slur in his tweet to Balding about her decision to go to Sochi (the irony was seemingly lost on him) but has since apologised for his tweet. Clare Balding is delivering sterling coverage as per and by going as an openly lesbian women and the anchor of the world renown BBC sports coverage she is visible, she is proud and she is sticking two fingers up to Putin.This is why I am watching her. Read more about her and her partner's responses to the trolls http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/clare-balding-responds-sochi-backlash080214

My hope is by watching and enjoying the sports, openly supporting my team and other outstanding athletes, openly supporting the BBC and Balding's coverage and openly supporting any and everyone who speaks up about LGBT rights over the course of the games that those who are intolerant will see how visible and vocal the opposition is. I've been tweeting (to my admittedly only double figure followers) about the games using the hashtags #pride and #CondemnPutinSupportAthletes. It is only a small thing but if more and more sports fans and LGBT rights (or as I like to call them, RIGHTS) supporters are tweeting, showing support and tolerance in the face of oppression then maybe people will take notice. Boycotts work in some instances, but how can a boycott on moral grounds be effective when what you are targeting doesn't have a moral compass in the first place? Visibility and noisiness will shove the truth under Putin's steely nose and surely this will have more of an effect?

As an afterthought, I watched the Channel 4 documentary Hunted and, whilst it made for difficult viewing, was glad that something like this was being broadcast. One of the points made by an LGBT advocate and teacher was that the Russian government has focused attention on the LGBT community and vilified them in an attempt to cover up state failings. I can't help but wonder if the same is happening in the UK with vulnerable and lower income people and the welfare system.