Russia censors Canadian bobsledder’s website

Justin Kripps blames anti-gay propaganda law

Canadian bobsledder Justin Kripps’s website has been blocked in Russia, he told the CBC.

Kripps said he made the discovery when he tried to log on to the site from Sochi.

The ban may have something to do with an image Kripps posted last month showing himself and his bobsledding teammates in their underwear.

A message in Russian on the blocked website said the ban was because of a court decision, material violating Russian law or an intellectual property violation.

According to the CBC, Kripps speculates that his site may have been blocked under Russia’s laws against gay propaganda.

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

Read More About:
Power, News, Censorship, Europe

Keep Reading

Trans issues didn’t doom the Democrats

OPINION: The Republicans won ending on a giant anti-trans note, but Democrats ultimately failed to communicate on class

Xtra Explains: Trans girls and sports

Debunking some of the biggest myths around trans girls and fairness in sports

How ‘mature minor’ laws let trans kids make their own decisions

Canadian law lets some youth make medical or legal decisions for themselves, but how does it work?

To combat transphobia, we need to engage with the people who spread it

OPINION: opening up a dialogue with those we disagree with is key if we want to achieve widespread social change