Naked Bobsledders Raise Russian Ire

The humor got lost in translation.

Canadian bobsledders posted pictures of themselves wearing few articles of clothing but lots of facial hair. Several of them couldn’t keep a straight face, perhaps because bobsledder Justin Kripps taking the picture could keep a straight face, or perhaps because there was something inherently un-straight about the pose.

For reasons that remain as mysterious as those that caused the bobsledders to disrobe or grow ironic facial hair, the Russian government blocked Canadian Olympian Justin Kripp’s site featuring the picture that some found funny, a few found erotic, and at least one Russian bureaucrat found infuriating. Could this be Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law at work?

The notice Kripps received in Russian, which a writer at The Atlantic roughly translated, referenced possible violations of copyright or Russian law. But which Russian law? Given the popularity of the faux-mo-sexual photo among gay bloggers, the Olympian preoccupied with homosexuality suspects the Russian government’s preoccupation with homosexuality may be at work here. But he can’t seem to get straight answer.