Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov is adding fuel to the antigay Russian fire in advance of the Winter Olympics by claiming that there are no gays in his city.
That’s pretty rich coming from someone with “homo” in his last name, but we digress.
The remarks were made during an interview with BBC television while promoting the Winter Olympics. “It is not accepted here in the Caucasus where we live,” Pakhomov said. “We do not have them in our city.”
Pakhomov’s comments must’ve been news to the rather sizable LGBT population in Sochi, as some were interviewed by BBC reporter John Sweeney the night before he spoke with the mayor.
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Though most were understandably nervous about speaking on the record, he did manage to get a quote from one bold drag queen that goes by the name of Madame Zhu-Zha. “There are very many clubs for gay people in Moscow — in Sochi we have two gay clubs as well,” she said. “In some places there’s serious prejudice against gay people. In other places it’s not as bad.”
All eyes will be on Russia and their treatment of LGBT athletes, spectators, and citizens during the 2014 Winter Olympics, and boneheaded comments like this from Pakhomov don’t do much for their cause.
hyhybt
At least now Imadinnerjog has company.
litper
Remember, Coke and McDonalds totally support this!
SpunkyBunks
Can you imagine a world without gays? No fashion, music, entertainment, good food, great literature, cutting edge/historical architecture, the list goes on and on my Russian friends….
alterego1980
People like this don’t deserve an international platform. I’ll be so glad when these Olympics are over. But to my Russian brethren, hopefully you can keep the pressure on once all the media leaves and stops covering your story.
jmmartin
Didn’t I see that guy in the baths a while back?
marq
The whole story is obviously absurd. There are no homophobic politicians in Sochi. How can there be? There are no gays.
trilingual1946
Really? No gays in Sochi? Next he’ll want us to believe there’s no vodka there, either!
MickeyP.
If this wasn’t so sad,it would be funny! This guy is delusional as hell! WE ARE EVERYWHERE! We are not going away and we won’t stop this fight for equality until this entire planet has all the same rights!
MickeyP.
@marq: I like this comment! It shows just how idiotic some people are!
SteveDenver
If there are no gays in Sochi, then why the anti-gay laws and anti-gay speech?
Might as well make laws against unicorns and sky hooks.
CCTR
@trilingual1946: “Next he’ll want us to believe there’s no vodka there, either!”
How Funny!
Harley
Scotty, beam me up. There is no intelligent life on this planet.
scoobydube
@Harley: I would not say “planet” only “Russia” ……
AuntieChrist
Well if the Russian men in Sochi look and act like that guy I’d leave too…And to any Russian gay men or women, you are welcome to stay at our house and we have a spare room so you don’t have to sleep on the couch, though our new couch can sleep three…Come to America before these jackbooted thugs round you up and ship you off to a camp in Siberia.
Pamela D. Johnson
my stepmother got an awesome year old BMW i3 Hatchback from only workin part-time on a home computer… go to this site http://gg.gg/116st
Cam
I think he means, after they finish arresting and start killing all of them.
Stefano
Andrée P. Boucher (a mayor of Sainte-Foy in Quebec) said the same thing many years ago…she died in 2007. Wich reminds me that stupidity and ignorance have no limits.
MK Ultra
Russian IDIOT
Stache1
@MickeyP.: Well, in all fairness to the Mayor he was probably talking about his future plans of extermination and just getting ahead of himself.