5. Putin's LGBT Stance
Putin has come out against LGBT rights and made it an issue when it should otherwise not be. Boycotting the Olympics would send a strong message that Russia is out of step with the rest of the world on this issue.
Putin has come out against LGBT rights and made it an issue when it should otherwise not be. Boycotting the Olympics would send a strong message that Russia is out of step with the rest of the world on this issue.
When Putin granted asylum to whistle-blower Edward Snowden, he did it to thumb his nose at the U.S. and not to express respect for Snowden. Boycotting the Olympics would be an equivalent gesture.
Let's face it -- does the average sports fan get excited about ice dancing anyway? I don't. I don't think many other people do, either. Other than ice hockey and skiing, there are very few "real" sports in the Winter Olympics. Boycotting this one would have nowhere near the impact of boycotting the summer games.
Nobody needs to see Vladimir Putin shirtless again, but that's just might happen to offend the eyes of U.S. athletes and fans if the temperature rises above 70 as it has at times in Sochi.
While it might be 70 in Sochi, history has shown that February temperatures often fall into the single digits. U.S. athletes and fans could and probably should spend their vacation money in a warmer climate.
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