Johnny Weir Can't Be Suppressed By Russian Law At Winter Olympics, Says Brian Sims

Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims says that a Russian anti-gay law cannot suppress Olympian Johnny Weir at the Winter Olympics.

Russia's “gay propaganda” law prohibits the public promotion of gay rights in a venue where minors might be present.

Its passage in June provoked worldwide outrage and calls for a boycott of the Winter Olympics to be held next year in Sochi.

(Related: Russia raids Nikolia Alexeyev's home; people encouraged to turn in gay neighbors.)

The 29-year-old Weir has previously said that he's opposed to a boycott but is prepared to get arrested while attending the Winter Olympics.

“You know, like anyone I'm afraid of being arrested but also I'm not afraid of being arrested,” Weir said. “Myself even walking down the street going to get Starbucks in the morning and somebody could arrest me just because I look too gay.”

In a wide-ranging interview with gay glossy The Advocate, Sims, Pennsylvania's first openly gay elected lawmaker and the former captain of an NCAA Division II championship football team at Bloomsburg University, quipped that suppressing Weir wasn't possible.

“Listen, I think that LGBT athletes know their way around civil disobedience,” Sims said. “I'd be excited to see the kind of tension would be drawn to that. I'd love to see them try to suppress a Johnny Weir. Good luck!”