Detroit Red Wings Captain Henrik Zetterberg over the weekend
criticized a Russian law that outlaws “gay propaganda” to minors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in June signed the law which
outlaws the public promotion of gay rights. Passage of the law has
sparked worldwide condemnation, including calls to boycott the Winter
Olympics to be held in Sochi in February.
“I think that everyone should be able to be themselves,”
Zetterberg, 32, is quoted as saying by the Swedish tabloid
Aftonbladet.
“It's unbelievable that it can be this way in this time,
especially in a big country like Russia.”
Zetterberg called the law “awful, just awful.”
Fellow Swedish professional hockey player Victor Hedman, who plays
for the Tampa Bay Lightning, called the law “wrong”: “That's
completely wrong, we're all humans. No one should have a say in what
way you're sexually oriented.”
On Monday, Patrick Burke, co-founder of You Can Play, the
anti-homophobia in sports campaign, also blasted the law, calling it
“draconian.”
(Related: You
Can Play's Patrick Burke opposes Olympic boycott over Russian
anti-gay law.)