Ballets Russes, Sergei Diaghilev. The organizers claimed that these individuals were selected due to their "merits" and "contributions to Russian culture", denying any relation to LGBT rights. On the same topic, critics also noted that the Russian pop duo t.A.T.u were invited to perform during the opening ceremony. Although they are not actually lesbian, the all-female duo were well known for incorporating themes of lesbianism in their music and on-stage personas (live appearances often featured the singers kissing each other), their name is a corruption of a shortened Russian phrase meaning "this girl loves that girl", and the duo made a statement in support of LGBT rights in the wake of Yuri Luzhkov's objection to the 2007 Moscow Pride parade. Organizers noted that t.A.T.u were chosen because they were well known to an international audience, denying any relation to the LGBT movement. (7 February 2014) During the opening ceremony IOC president Thomas Bach made a speech which made strong statements against discrimination: (7 February 2014) Cheryl Maas, one of six reportedly outed competitors in the Games, made the first display of LGBT "propaganda" in solidarity with Russian LGBT persons. Following her attempt to qualify in the slopestyle event at Sochi, Cheryl Maas, from the Netherlands, who is openly married to another woman, raised her glove bearing a rainbow (and a unicorn) to the cameras. The snowboarder has reportedly previously criticized the decision to hold the Games in Sochi, stating, "With the choice of Russia, the IOC is taking a step back in time." (10 February 2014) On ESPN's Outside the Lines, 24-year-old Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, an Olympic snowboarder, said she wanted to come out at Sochi to make a statement about LGBT rights in light of Russia's law, but she missed the cut for Team USA. (13 February 2014) A group of friends from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, released "Putin Gay Dress Up", an online game to protest against Putin's statements about gay rights. Players had to dress up the president as a stereotyped gay, including woman's clothes and a Pussy Riot T-shirt. See also Concerns and controversies at the 2014 Winter Olympics James Kirchick List of LGBT sportspeople Human rights in Russia LGBT rights in Russia LGBT rights in Asia LGBT rights in Europe LGBT history in Russia Mayer Brown Uprising of Love Footnotes References 2013 controversies 2013 in LGBT history 2013 protests 2014 controversies 2014 in LGBT history 2014 protests