IT is all too easy, from a British perspective, to imagine that equality before the law for gay men and lesbians has been all but achieved, even if societal attitudes have not entirely caught up.
In fact, in dozens of Commonwealth countries, nothing could be further from the truth.
While the previous Scottish Government repealed Clause 2A many years ago and the current one is proposing gay marriage legislation, 41 countries in the 54-member Commonwealth have laws outlawing homosexuality, with some making the "crime" punishable by life imprisonment or even death.
When political representatives of these countries troop into Glasgow next year for the Commonwealth Games, it would be unacceptable for the Scottish Government and Games organisers politely to ignore this state-sanctioned prejudice. Patrick Harvie MSP is right when he says that the Games are about more than "talking up sports and Glasgow" and that ministers should be prepared to raise the issue of human rights with those nations that perpetuate anti-gay laws. Systematically promoting dialogue on the issue during the Games, in formal and informal gatherings and at fringe events, can only help in the process of changing minds.
This is an issue which has gone undiscussed within the context of the Commonwealth for far too long. It was addressed by a Commonwealth Secretary-General for the first time just two years ago. The Commonwealth is a political entity; it is entirely appropriate for member states which champion equal rights to lobby member states which do not.
It is inevitable that international sport and politics will be linked. The question is not whether it is legitimate to raise controversial political issues in the context of sport, but how.
There have been high-profile calls, led by the actor Stephen Fry, for British athletes to boycott the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, next year, over a law passed by the Russian lower house of parliament allowing heavy fines to be imposed on anyone providing information about homosexuality to under-18s. The legislation has been widely condemned internationally and with good reason; while Russia does not have the most restrictive laws on homosexuality in the world, it is deeply worrying that its laws appear to be becoming more rather than less repressive towards the LGBT community; in addition, gay rights activists have been subjected to a recent spate of violent attacks. Would a boycott by Britain be the most appropriate response, however? The ramifications would be huge: to be consistent, would the UK not also have to debar from Glasgow 2014 all athletes from countries where homosexuality was illegal?
No-one is calling for that; instead campaigners are calling for politicians and officials to raise the issue during Glasgow 2014. The Commonwealth Games are a great opportunity: ministers and the Games organisers must rise to the occasion.
When, after the last of the visiting athletes have left Glasgow and the discussion moves on to legacy, it will be a worthwhile achievement if the Games can be said to have played a part in liberalising attitudes towards homosexuality in Commonwealth countries which persist in discriminating against the LGBT community.
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