IOC wants reassurances on Russia anti-gay law

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko speaks during a news conference at a hotel in Moscow, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013. The IAAF athletics World Championships begin Saturday.

Matt Dunham, Associated Press

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Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko speaks during a news conference at a hotel in Moscow, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013. The IAAF athletics World Championships begin Saturday.

Matt Dunham, Associated Press

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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, right, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge attend an IOC executive board meeting at the SportAccord International Convention in St. Petersburg, Thursday, May 30, 2013.

Kirill Kudryavtsev, Pool, Associated Press

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International Olympic Committee, IOC, President Jacques Rogge speaks during a press conference after the last day of the executive board’s meeting, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013. IOC President Jacques Rogge has backed Pat McQuaid to lead the International Cycling Union in its ongoing dispute with the World Anti-Doping Agency. Rogge tells reporters the Olympic body does not currently plan on intervening in a row fuelled by the Lance Armstrong doping case. Asked for an opinion on cycling’s leadership, Rogge says “we have confidence in Mr. McQuaid as president of the UCI.”

Laurent Gillieron, AP Photo/Keystone,

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and IOC President Jaques Rogge press a symbolic button to mark a 1 year to the start of 2014 Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia, on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013.

Ivan Sekretarev, Associated Press

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Olympic rings for the 2014 Winter Olympics are installed in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, southern Russia, late Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. With the Winter Olympics a year away, IOC President Jacques Rogge praised Sochi organizers on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013, and defended the $51 billion price tag.

Ignat Kozlov, Associated Press

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Ignat Kozlov, Associated Press

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MOSCOW — IOC President Jacques Rogge says the Olympic body will not take a stand on Russia's anti-gay law until it receives more clarifications from the government on an issue that is overshadowing preparations for the Winter Games in Sochi.

The law, signed by President Vladimir Putin in June, bans "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies. It has caused a major international outcry and spawned calls for protests ahead of the Feb. 7-23 Olympics in the Black Sea resort.

Rogge says the Russian government provided written re-assurances about the law on Thursday. But he says some elements are still too unclear to pass judgment.

Rogge said Friday: "We are waiting for the clarifications before having the final judgment on these reassurances."

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