Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič and Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák consider the rumours of boycotting the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia to be complete nonsense.
“The president wishes to support the Slovak Olympians personally and will therefore attend several competitions”, said President Gašparovič’s spokesperson Marek Trubač. Boycotting the Olympics, according to the president, would harm the athletes as well as the visitors, stating that the Olympic ideal is one of peace and co-operation–not a boycott. Foreign Affairs minister Miroslav Lajčák called the boycott stupid, holding the opinion that politics and sport should not mix. Some world leaders such as U.S. President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will not attend the opening Olympic ceremony, stating their disapproval with the adoption of anti-gay legislation in Russia.
