Tennis legend Billie Jean King will
attend the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
King, who bowed out from attending the
opening ceremonies due to her 91-year-old mother's illness, will
represent the United States as part of President Barack Obama's
official delegation to the Sochi Games.
King was one of the three openly gay
athletes included in the 10-person delegation to the Olympics. The
other two athletes are hockey player Caitlin Cahow and figure skater
Brian Boitano.
Cahow replaced King during the opening
ceremonies.
King's mother, Betty Moffitt, died on
February 7, the day of the Olympic opening, at her home in Arizona.
King has been an outspoken critic of
Russia's law prohibiting “gay propaganda” to minors.
Last month, King applauded Obama's
decision to include gay athletes in the delegation, saying it conveys
a powerful message to Russia.
“When we step off the plane we are
part of America,” King said during an appearance on NBC's
TODAY
show.
“We are what an America looks like. So I think President Obama
has done an amazing job on promoting diversity and inclusion. He has
been the all-time president for doing that. And he's showing the
Russians, 'Listen everybody belongs in the United States of
America.'”