Martina Navratilova fires Sochi warning, thinks homosexuals will be targeted at Winter Olympics

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has warned that separating sport from politics will be ‘impossible’ at the Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi next month after Russia passed a law targeting homosexuals.

Navratilova, openly gay, has expressed her displeasure at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of the Winter Games next month, accusing the Olympic body of “putting their head in the sand”.

Navratilova has never advocated a boycott of the games but stated that separating sport and politics would not be possible in the current climate in Russia.

Navrtilova said: “I don’t know, we’ll see how things go. The athletes are told by the IOC to not make any protests, any statements, and really separate the politics from sport, which is impossible. It’s a controversial situation there and it will be interesting how it all unfurls but the biggest issue for gay people living in Russia is not what’s going to happen during the Olympics, it’s about what happens before and also after the Olympics. You wouldn’t let a dog get beat up and yet human beings get beat up simply for who they are. We know those laws are going to change eventually but right now it’s a very unfriendly climate.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the Australian Open, Navratilova also rubbished suggestions that tennis legend Billie Jean King, who is also openly gay, was included in the American delegation to Sochi by president Barack Obama to send a message of diversity to Russia.

“He sent a great athlete, activist, who also happens to be gay. I don’t think he picked Billy Jean because she’s gay. I think he just picked Billy Jean because she’s a great ambassador for women and for athletes. End of story,” Navratilova added.

The Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi from 7th to 23rd February 2014.