Sochi Olympics: Google Doodle gives Putin a lesson in LGBT rights

To celebrate the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Google has published a rainbow-coloured doodle indicating its support to the LGBT community in a country where harsh anti-gay laws have drawn much ire. The Google Doodle highlights athletes engaging in various winter sports and clicking on it links you to a search page on the Olympic charter. Below the search bar is posted Principle Six of the Olympic Charter, which reads: “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” It then links to the Olympic Charter itself. The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics officially starts on Friday with an opening ceremony at the Fisht Olympic Stadium. It will run from 7-23 February while the Winter Paralympics will be held between 7-16 March. Google's gesture has drawn a number of approving reactions. "Good on you Google", says TechCrunch, while pro gay rights site Towler road said, 'well played'. The reactions were along the same lines on social media. Here are a few Twitter reactions:

Today's Google Doodle is Particularly Awesome and Timely http://t.co/wEmux13a03 — politicalgrrls (@PoliticalGrrls) February 7, 2014

Google's latest Doodle is a good one. Don't think Vlad will be happy about Putin up with that #Madimir pic.twitter.com/B8IIRHOKyz — Tom Brown (@tombrown50792) February 7, 2014

 

Of course, pleasingly, the Google doodle is also viewable on Russia's version. https://t.co/emLJna5DaT http://t.co/KbNaurzjuh — SimonNRicketts (@SimonNRicketts) February 7, 2014

can we just appreciate the google doodle today please pic.twitter.com/og6fQIXFFA — (@jvshua) February 6, 2014

 And Google is not the only one to draw attention to discrimination against the LGBT community in an innovative manner. Earlier this week, Scottish brewery BrewDog came up with another ingenious way of protesting anti-gay laws in Russia which have been highlighted during the Sochi Winter Olympics. BrewDog sent its signature 'Hello, My Name is Vladimir' beer, which has 8.2 percent alcohol, to Russia's Vladimir Putin. Not only that, they've left some beer outside the Russian Consulate in Edinburgh and the Russian Embassy in London. The description on the label (with 'not for gays' in small print at the bottom) says: "Hello, my name is Vladimir. I am 100 per cent hetero and will pass laws to prove it. Drinking me gives you energy, ignorance and dogmatism required to shoot a deer (with your top off) and pass internationally denounced, discriminatory legislation (top optional) before you've even had your caviar breakfast." Read more about it here.