F1’s Ecclestone: ‘90% of world agrees with Putin on gay rights’
By Nick Levine
Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has claimed that “90% of the world” agrees with Vladimir Putin’s stance on gay rights – and admitted that he himself agrees with The Russian President.
Russia’s debut grand prix will take place in Sochi, the host city of the ongoing Winter Olympics, later this year. Ecclestone last met with Putin around a year ago (February 2013) to discuss construction progress on the city’s Formula One track.
Asked by CNN about Putin’s policy towards gay rights, Ecclestone said: “He hasn’t said he doesn’t agree (with homosexuality) – just that he doesn’t want these things publicised to an audience under the age of 18.”
He then added: “I completely agree with those sentiments and if you took a world census you’d find 90% of the world agree with it as well.” Ecclestone, 83, also said he has “great admiration for [Putin] and his courage to say what he says.
“It may upset a few people but that’s how the world is. It’s how he sees (the world) and I think he’s completely right,” Ecclestone concluded.
In June 2013, Russia passed laws banning the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations” towards minors, and there has been an increasingly hostile atmosphere towards the country’s LGBT community.