Vitaly Mutko, Russian Sports Minister, Calls Timing Of Anti-Gay 'Propaganda' Mistake

Sports Minister: Timing Was Bad For Russia's 'Gay Propaganda' Law
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko gives a press conference on November 30, 2010 in Zurich before his country's 2018 World Cup bid to world football's ruling body FIFA. England, Russia and joint bids by Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium are in the running to host the 2018 World Cup. FIFA will vote on the hosts on December 2, 2010. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko gives a press conference on November 30, 2010 in Zurich before his country's 2018 World Cup bid to world football's ruling body FIFA. England, Russia and joint bids by Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium are in the running to host the 2018 World Cup. FIFA will vote on the hosts on December 2, 2010. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

After several months of heavy debate as to the implications of Russia's anti-gay "propaganda" law on the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the country's sports minister is finally admitting that the timing of the legislation may have been a mistake.

According to The Associated Press, Vitaly Mutko is quoted in the RBK business newspaper as stating that "perhaps the state authorities should have waited a little."

"It was possible to calculate how much resonance it would cause in the West, especially in the run-up to the Sochi Olympics," he said, according to the report.

Mutko initially came under fire from the international community when he claimed that the country's anti-gay "propaganda" legislation would be upheld during the Sochi Winter Games. He later tried to backpedal by telling LGBT activists to "calm down" regarding their opposition to the country's institutionalized homophobia.

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