Sochi Olympics: Take That Putin!

In a move interpreted as a protest of Russia's antigay laws, neither the president, the vice president, nor their wives will be in the U.S. delegations to Sochi, but some out athletes will.

President Obama sent a strong message to Russia today with the announcement of the U.S. delegations to the Winter Olympics in Sochi — they will not include the president, the vice president, their wives, or any current cabinet member, but it will include some openly gay athletes...

Legendary tennis star and former Olympic coach Billie Jean King, an out lesbian, will be part of the opening ceremony’s delegation. Caitlin Cahow, a two-time Olympic medalist in ice hockey who recently came out as lesbian, will be at the closing ceremony....

The lineup is being seen as a protest against Russia’s antigay laws and general climate of homophobia. “This marks the first Olympics since the 2000 Sydney Summer Games that a U.S. president, vice president, first lady or former president has not been a member of the delegation for the opening ceremony,” USA Today notes. 

Obama did not address the matter in the announcement of Olympics attendees, but he has previously expressed strong disapproval of Russia’s antigay policies...

The Advocate.

Bit confused here.

If "Obama did not address the matter in the announcement of Olympics attendees", then how does that send "a strong message to Russia"? *

It's great that Bille Jean King is going, and of course the legendary Caitlin Cahow!
Though gold medal-winning gay Winter Olympian, Johnny Weir, would have been a far more appropriate choice, no?
And I'm sure Barack Obama does think homophobia is a bad thing, but maybe Obama isn't going cause it's just not that important.

The opening of a Winter Olympics is hardly the funeral of Nelson Mandela - nobody expected half of the world's leaders and heads of state to be there.

Obama didn't attend the 2012 London Olympics either, maybe that was one of these "secret protests", too?
And if "this marks the first Olympics since the 2000 Sydney Summer Games that a U.S. president, vice president, first lady or former president has not been a member of the delegation for the opening ceremony", can someone remind me what the huge diplomatic row between the USA and Australia was then?
Must have been pretty serious.
It should be obvious even to the most braindrowned that the US has been highlighting and foregrounding Russian homophobia over that of all other countries for crude propaganda reasons - the 'civilised' west takes on the 'backwards' Russian bear etc - but don't you think President Obama's actual beef with Putin right now is not the gay thing, but new Cold War battles like Snowden, Syria, Iran and Ukraine?

It's politically illiterate and ridiculously homocentric to claim Obama's no-show as a great victory for #teamgay.

Oh well, at least the whole "Obama's not going! But he's sending a delegation!" conundrum will make the "Boycott Sochi!" berks brains EXPLODE!

* Update: 'A statement from the White House said President Obama's schedule doesn't allow him to travel to Sochi "President Obama is extremely proud of our U.S. athletes and looks forward to cheering them on from Washington," the statement said. "He knows they will showcase to the world the best of America - diversity, determination and teamwork."' USA Today.