Gay athletes ‘will not be discriminated against’

President Vladimir Putin sought to ease concerns that Russia’s new anti-gay law would be used to punish athletes who display rainbow flags during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, while insisting gays are not discriminated against in Russia.

“I assure you that I work with these people, I sometimes award them with state prizes or decorations for their achievements in various fields,” Putin said. “We have absolutely normal relations, and I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.”

He added that Russians love Tchaikovsky even though the composer was said to have been a homosexual. “Truth be told, we don’t love him because of that, but he was a great musician and we all love his music,” Putin said.