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| Francois Hollande's government gave no reason for its decision to stay away |
Neither President Francois Hollande nor any top French official will attend the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said. Mr Fabius announced the decision on French radio, but gave no explanation. Last week German President Joachim Gauck also said he was not going to the games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Activists have urged leaders to boycott the event over human rights concerns, including a new Russian law banning "homosexual propaganda". Mr Fabius told Europe 1 radio on Sunday: "Top French officials have no plans to be there." Mr Gauck announced he would not attend the Sochi games last weekend, but did not elaborate either. European Commission deputy head Viviane Reding has also said she was not attending. Russian President Vladimir Putin has staked his personal prestige on staging a successful Olympics in an effort to showcase his country, analysts say.Well, I am sure that Putin is heartbroken, he will now go and hug his teddy bear, jump in his bed, and tearfully bawl for a few days. Well, maybe not, but that is the kind of reaction this latest BBC masterpiece of journalism suggest. Putin staked his prestige on Sochi and the homo-fans ain't coming; ergo - he must be crushed. Right.
Nobody at the BBC could even imagine that Putin would be extremely un-impressed by a political statement by European politicians who don't even have the courage to openly say why they are not coming! The French "give no reasons" while the Germans "do not elaborate".
Russia had to deal with all kinds of foes from the West, from the Teutonic Knights to Hitler's armies and each time Russia won. I very much doubt that anybody in the Kremlin will be impressed by homo-fans who prefer not to explain their reasons for refusing an invitation.
Poor, poor Europe. How low it has fallen. As for the BBC - does anybody still listen to that crap?
The Saker
