US: Olympian attacks Canadian ‘gay luge’ advert
US Olympic luger Christian Niccum has attacked a Canadian ad which mocks his sport for being ‘a little bit gay’.
Niccum told Reuters: “It’s a gross misrepresentation of everything. All of it seems like a lie to me.”
“I don’t think it’s fair for people that do have same sex attraction that they are using sport to promote their lifestyle.
“Kids don’t think that way and now they’re having commercials and promoting that this is the way sports are. I just think it’s too bad.
“It’s just sportsmanship. When did we come so sexual about everything? To make those comparisons, I think it’s sad.”
The ad, launched by the Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion last week, shows two male lugers setting off in slow-motion, with ‘Don’t You Want Me Baby?’ playing over the top.
Niccum came sixth in the double luge in 2010. He is yet to win an Olympic medal.
Fellow US luger Preston Griffall was more understanding. He said: “We’re two dudes, laying on top of each other in spandex, of course people are going to make fun of it.”
Michael Bach, the founder of CIDI, said the ad was created “to show our support, especially for the athletes competing at the Olympics in Sochi”.
Yesterday the ad scooped the gold in our countdown of the top 10 pro-gay Olympic parodies.
Watch the ad below:
