Colorado Springs, CO – The United States Olympic Committee does not support a Russian anti-gay law and has updated its non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation, a USOC official said.
"The fact that we do not think it is our role to advocate for a change in the Russian law does not mean that we support the law, and we do not," USOC chief executive officer Scott Blackmun said during an assembly Friday, according to the Team USA website.
The USOC passed a measure Thursday revising the policy after chairman Larry Probst -- an International Olympic Committee member -- voiced support for a change to the IOC charter ahead of next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Blackmun said the USOC code of conduct will include specific language banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, according to USOC official Patrick Sandusky.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed numerous anti-gay laws this year, including one critics say could allow Olympic athletes who are gay -- or are suspected of being gay -- to be arrested and detained.
The Sochi Olympics will run from Feb. 7-23. The Olympic flame was lit Sept. 29 in Greece.
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