UK PM Won't Attend Olympics, Not Because of Russian Anti-Gay Law

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron announced Tuesday that he will not go to Sochi, Russia, to attend the 2014 Winter Olympics, but said it's not because of the country's anti-gay law, Gay Star News reports.

Cameron's officials told Russian diplomats that he will not attend the major sporting event, but noted that the decision has nothing to do with Russia's highly controversial "homosexual propaganda" law, which aims to ban "non-traditional" relationships. Cameron, a conservative, said the move is not a snub and that he is not going because "there is no precedent for serving prime ministers to attend the Winter Olympics," Gay Star News writes.

Instead of Cameron attending the Games, Britain will send Anne, Princess Royal (the second child and only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip) and former London Olympics chief Lord Sebastian Coe. Also attending will be Culture Secretary Maria Miller, who was responsible for England and Wales' law that allows same-sex couples to legally marry.

Cameron isn't the only world leader who is not attending the Olympics, which begin on Feb. 7. President Barack Obama announced that he would not be going and is instead sending openly gay athletes, including Billie Jean King, Brian Boitano and Caitlin Cahow. French President Francois Hollande and German President Joachim Gauck both said they will not attend the Games as well.