PSA Depicts LGBT Discrimination as Russia's 'Newest Olympic Sport'

A new public service announcement portrays a stirring depiction of LGBT discrimnation and violence against LGBT Russians.

Titled "Russia Declares Discrimination Newest Olympic Sport," the video juxtaposes scenes of a same-sex proposal with menacing athletes on a sports playing field. The joyous moment between the two men is cut short when they are suddenly thrust into the arena, where they experience violence at the hands of the players.

Released by The Fair Games Project, the short film project, which is raising awareness and funds for The Russia Freedom Fund, concludes with a reminder to viewers that being gay is still criminalized in more than 70 countries, including Russia.

The Fair Games Project, in partnership with Athlete Ally and other LGBT groups, released the two-minute video, which also features the song "Freedom" from artist King avriel. The director and producer of the Fair Games Project, Michael Rohrbaugh, previously commented on the necessity of the video's message during its successful fundraising campaign.

"There are 77 countries in the world where being gay remains a crime, in some cases punishable by forced labor, lifelong prison sentences, and even execution," said Rohrbaugh, who previously created a PSA alongside the nonprofit Moms Demand Action to raise awareness of gun violence in public schools. "With your help, FGP aims to correct this injustice, and serve as a powerful rallying cry for global gay rights."