Australian diver Matthew Mitcham has also spoken out. Credit:Jon Reid No former convicts can participate or attend the Rugby World Cup in 2015, you say? Well, they can, as long as they don't tell anyone they're a former convict. Bewdy. Problem solved. Given that last Lions Test, most Wallabies are reluctant to admit they're Wallabies. Such scenarios are absurd and abhorrent, but these are absurd and abhorrent times in some corners of a world pretending it's 2013. If such policy was ever suggested, let alone legislated by a nation hosting a major global sporting event, the condemnation would be fierce and boycotts threatened. So why has the International Olympic Committee said precious little about Russian laws that would jail athletes and spectators who so much as wear a rainbow flag supporting gay and lesbian rights at next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi?

Why has the International Association of Athletics Federations done little more than provide a limp statement and a tweet saying ''won't affect'' when asked about Russia's draconian laws prohibiting someone from being ''pro-gay'' before the world championships starting in Moscow in a week? And why has the ultimate boys' club, otherwise known as FIFA, been equally vague in its response, with the World Cup to be held in Russia in 2018? The only assumption that can be made is that basic human rights that should be afforded to gays and lesbians aren't as important as those afforded to others. Having decriminalised homosexuality in 1993, Russia stands accused of pushing gay rights back to the days of Stalin after the Kremlin overwhelmingly approved homophobic legislation in June that advocates serious punishment to those who provide information about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to minors or hold gay pride rallies. Public displays of affection by same-sex couples are illegal. Foreign citizens arrested under the law can be jailed for 15 days then deported.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin signed off on the bill in late June, the IOC sought assurances those laws wouldn't affect athletes competing at the Winter Games in Sochi next year. The IOC was told it would not, but Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko fired up the debate last week when he said: ''An athlete of non-traditional sexual orientation isn't banned from coming to Sochi. But if he goes out into the streets and starts to propagandise, then of course he will be held accountable.'' In other words, you can be gay - just don't tell anyone. The Australian Olympic Committee has been consistent with its line on the issue. Its athletes competing in Sochi have ''nothing to fear''. In other words, you can be gay - just don't tell anyone.

So far, the anger has been confined to openly gay athletes such as figure skater Jonny Weir (who wore the brunt of Brokeback references and other insults from Channel Nine's Eddie McGuire and Mick Molloy during the last Winter Olympics), New Zealand short track speed skater Blake Skjellerup and, at the weekend, Australian diver Matthew Mitcham. Yet the IOC and its president Jacques Rogge have been conspicuous in their silence. They've assured the 3000 athletes they'll be OK. Because Russia says so. In other words, you can be gay - just don't tell anyone. Despite the Olympic Charter's clear condemnation of discrimination, you suspect the lack of public comment has everything to do with politics and the struggle for future power. Rogge has rarely been one to rock the boat during the 12 years of his presidency atop one of the world's most powerful organisations. Given Russia and Putin's influence, almost none of the six candidates to succeed him following a vote in Buenos Aires in September wants to comment. Almost none.

Puerto Rican candidate Richard Carrion said on Friday it should be a condition that any city seeking to host the Olympics does not have laws that "discriminate against people in any way, consistent with the Olympic Charter''. ''One of the deepest core values of the Olympic movement is sports as a human right,'' he said. ''Nothing should ever stand in the way of that''. Russia does. It has spent $51 billion on the Winter Olympics. With the track and field world championships and football's World Cup, it truly is their self-proclaimed ''Decade of Sport''. Yet those in charge of international sports appear content to let the world be ''propagandised'' about a new Russia, despite its anti-gay laws. Which is fine. Just don't tell anyone.