‘Rainbow’ German Winter Olympics uniforms seen as silent protest against Russian anti-gay law
Germany has debuted its Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics uniforms, the rainbow design of which has prompted many to speculate whether they are meant as a silent protest against Russian anti-gay laws.
Over recent months there has been an international outcry because of a Russian law which bans the promotion of “non-traditional” relationships ahead of the February 2014 games.
Germany’s uniforms, shown in a catwalk show on Tuesday, features multicoloured jackets, not dissimilar to the design of the rainbow flag, universally associated with gay rights.
Designer Willy Bogner, in association with Adidas, created the uniforms. He said he wanted to pay homage to the 1972 Munich Summer Games.
He said he aimed for a “celebratory design, inspired by the great atmosphere of the times.”
Some took to Twitter, however, to deem the uniforms as “a rainbow patter”, and a “clear political statement”.
One Twitter user said the design “looks great, like a gay and lesbian pride parade.” Another disputed the aesthetics of the design, however, saying: “Extremely hideous — but a well-intentioned move supporting the rights of gays and lesbians”.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), have disputed this, saying “the uniforms are not a protest,” claiming that the designs were finalised before the outrage erupted over the Russian law.
IOC Co-ordination Committee Chairman Jean-Claude Killy dismissed concerns over Russian anti-gay legislation. “As long as the Olympic Charter is respected, we are satisfied,” he said.
