Tom Daley: ‘I have no concerns about going to Russia’ despite anti-gay laws

Oct 09 2014
Written by Aaron Day

Tom Daley has said he will not be protesting Russia’s anti-gay ‘propaganda’ laws during the World Aquatics Championships in Kazan next year.

IBT reports the Olympic Diver spoke at The Leaders Sports Business Summit this week, saying he would still be travelling to the 16th world championship in July and August next year.

“For me I have no concerns about going to Russia,” he said. “I’ve been there five or six times before and never had any problems.”

President Vladimir Putin signed law last year banning the promotion of “non-traditional relationships” toward minors, a move that has been criticised as part of a broader crackdown on Russia’s gay community.

The first person to be convicted of breaking the law was attacked and arrested by his own parents at a solo campaign in Kazan.

Daley added: “To go there to dive and you don’t go there thinking to do anything other than that. You go there focusing on each dive you do and each competition that you’ve got.

“For me I wouldn’t be going there thinking ‘I’ve got to do this [protest]’ – I just go there and focus on my performance.”

In a five-minute YouTube video last year, the British diving bronze medallist, and star of ITV’s Smash, revealed that he had been in a relationship with a man since Spring 2013.

In July this year, a plane carrying Tom Daley was forced to make an emergency landing in Russia.