Tom Daley hits back at Russian state TV channel that made homophobic attacks against him and other LGBT athletes at Tokyo Olympics
British Olympic star Tom Daley has spoken out against Russian state TV after it made a number of homophobic attacks during the Olympics.
Channel Rossiya 1 made a number of bigoted slurs against Mr Daley during the Tokyo Games, as well as against other LGBT athletes, by referring to homosexuality as an 'abomination' and a 'perversion'.
MP Alexei Zhuravlyov also pointed at a screen showing New Zealand trans athlete Laurel Hubbard, referring to her participation as 'smut and perversion.'
Tom Daley said there is still a 'long way to go' for LGBT rights, pointing out that in 10 countries who competed this year homosexuality is still punishable by death
Channel One host Anatoly Kuzichev donned a wig to mock Hubbard and branded trans people 'psychopaths' and said they needed psychiatric treatment
On Channel One, male presenter Anatoly Kuzichev also wore a wig to mock Hubbard.
Speaking in response to the bigoted remarks, Mr Daley said: 'I had no idea. When we’re at the Olympics, we’re in a bubble and we don’t really see anything.
'History shows that everything that society is has been dictated from the straight, white, male experience.
'If we could come together and use different points of view, the world would be a better place.'
The IOC, which banned Russia from competing in Tokyo over state-sponsored doping, said in a statement that 'discrimination has absolutely no place at the Olympic Games.'
As well as mockingly wearing a wig, the host Anatoly Kuzichev branded trans people 'psychopaths' and said they needed psychiatric treatment.
MP Pyotr Tolstoy told the host that the inclusion of LGBT athletes was part of a Western ploy to 'implant their agenda of equal rights, additional rights for LGBT, transgender people and other perverts into the Olympic movement'.
New Zealander Laurel Hubbard made history this week as the first trans athlete to compete in a solo event at the Games
Tom Daley competing at Tokyo. He won a gold medal in the men's 10m synchronised diving for Team GB
State-backed homophobia is rife in Russia where many of Vladimir Putin's supporters and his allies in the Orthodox Church take a firm stand against gay rights.
Putin has previously described it as his 'duty' to prevent gay marriage to 'reinforce families.'
Tom Daley said there is still a 'long way to go' for LGBT rights, pointing out that in 10 countries who competed this year homosexuality is still punishable by death.
He added: 'It takes a lot to come out and speak openly. It can be quite daunting and scary for people, especially in sports where the fanbases might not be as accepting.
'I didn’t realise the impact it would have on people around the world to live as myself. I feel extremely proud of that.'