Isinbayeva clarifies anti-gay comment

August 16, 2013 03:39 pm | Updated 10:52 pm IST - MOSCOW

Yelena Isinbayeva

Yelena Isinbayeva

Russian pole vault star Isinbayeva issued a statement on Friday, clarifying her comments that were perceived as backing Russia’s controversial new anti-gay law.

“English is not my first language and I think I may have been misunderstood when I spoke yesterday (Thursday),” she said.

“What I wanted to say was that people should respect the laws of other countries, particularly when they are guests. But let me make it clear that I respect the views of my fellow athletes and let me state in the strongest terms that I am opposed to any discrimination against gay people on the grounds of their sexuality (which is against the Olympic charter),” Isinbayeva added.

The Russian’s comments that provoked a backlash were made on Thursday.

“We just live with boys with women, women with boys. We are tolerant of all existing opinions and respect all people. But they must be respectful of our laws and not promote the ideas of non-traditional orientations on the street,” she had said.

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