THE Australian Olympic Committee believes athletes competing at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia will be safe, despite a new law allowing police to arrest gay tourists.

The law, brought into effect just weeks ago, allows police to arrest tourists or foreigners whom they suspect of being gay or lesbian.

In addition to being a human rights violation, the law goes directly against the International Olympic Committee charter of non-discrimination.

Australian officials cannot guarantee gay athletes travelling to Sochi would be free from persecution or arrest. But they believe athletes will be protected by the IOC charter.

"I don't think gay athletes in Sochi have anything to fear," said long-serving AOC spokesman Mike Tancred.

"Under the IOC charter, discrimination of any kind is strictly forbidden. I am sure the IOC values will prevail."

Under the law, passed by President Vladimir Putin, police can detain suspects for up to 14 days, and their powers will even extend towards people considered "pro-gay".

While there are no known gay athletes of the 100 or so Australians battling for a spot on our 50-strong Winter Olympic team, the new law means that any fan, athlete or coach could be arrested for harmless acts such as unfurling a rainbow flag or holding hands with a member of the same sex.

The anti-gay law is in direct defiance of the "Seven Fundamental Principles of Olympism" contained within the Olympic Charter.

Principle Number 6 states: "Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."

The Charter also makes frequent references to such concepts as "universal fundamental ethical principles" and "the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity".

The International Olympic Committee issued a statement in response to the Russian law, saying it will make sure "the Games can take place without discrimination against athletes, officials, spectators and the media".

Meanwhile Russian authorities remain hostile towards homosexuals. A recent gay pride rally in Russia's second largest city St Petersburg turned violent after right-wing elements and authorities attacked marchers.

President Putin's has tried to justify his push to criminalise homosexuality by arguing the Russian birthrate is slowing, and that the traditional family unit is under threat. Opponents have said he is demonising a minority purely for political gain.

This latest controversy comes at a time when the cost of the Sochi games has reportedly ballooned from initial estimates of $US10 billion to a staggering $52 billion. Another controversy is bubbling away in America, with calls to boycott the Games if Russia continues to shelter whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The Sochi Olympics are widely seen as President Putin's pet project. Sochi is his home away from home, a Black Sea resort at the bottom tip of Russia which is so far south, it has palm trees.

media_camera Just 50km from here to palm trees and seashore. Photo: AFP

Despite its relatively mild temperatures, Sochi is situated on the doorstep of Europe's highest mountains, the Caucasus. Putin is said to have a private ski lodge at the resort of Rosa Khutor, where alpine events will be held at the Games.

Russian tourism authorities plan to market the Caucasus resorts as a major European snow sports destination after the Olympics. Safe to assume they're not pinning too much hope on the pink dollar.

Anthony Sharwood will cover the Sochi Olympics for news.com.au and News Corp papers and websites. Follow him @antsharwood and check his skiing style vs. Vladimir Putin's here.

Originally published as Gay athletes arrested at Olympics?