Gay fan waved flag for every Russian goal. Photo: Fare
A Russian football fan gave the Russia World Cup that extra touch of colour last night as he waved a large rainbow flag every time his beloved team scored a goal.
Russia’s first World Cup match against Saudi Arabia | Photo: Facebook/FIFA World Cup
Russia scored five goals against fellow LGBT+ intolerant and major oil producing nation, Saudi Arabia, in all. So there were was a lot of waving.
Alexander Agapov is president of the Russian LGBT Sport Federation and also a big fan of his country’s soccer team.
Rainbow flag waved during Putin opening address
The flag got its first outing at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium when Russian president Vladimir Putin was giving his opening speech.
Agapov waves rainbow flag during Putin speech. Photo: Twitter
Once the first match of the tournament got underway, Agapov was poised and ready to go again.
‘I believe you should practice what you preach and, if I’m telling LGBT football fans to be visible, then I should do it myself,’ Agapov told The Associated Press.
‘Each time the Russian team scored a goal I was waving the rainbow flag… I was showing my support.’
Russian officials have said that there are no restrictions on fans bringing rainbow flags into stadiums. Agapov said no-one bothered him at the game for waving the flag, but said that a fan outside the stadium told him, I don’t want that kind of world.’
While Agapov’s rainbow coloured support of his team passed without incident, LGBT fans could face the risk of random attacks by thugs during the tournament.
The rainbow colours will be out again when England meets Tunisia in Volgograd next Monday. LGBT England supporters plan to fly ‘3 Lions Pride’ flag at every England game at World Cup. The new group is part of Pride in Football alliance.
Russia’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup has been surrounded by LGBT+ issues. Human rights and LGBT+ campaigner, Peter Tatchell was arrested in Moscow ahead of Thursday’s opening ceremony.
Thugs in St Petersburg attacked a gay Frenchman, who was left with serious brain injuries earlier this week. And Swedish fashion brand Björn Borg used augmented reality technology to hide an LGBT+ message in plain sight during the opening match.
