IOC president: 'We can't impose measures to resolve Russia's anti-gay laws'

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has insisted that the organisation "appreciate" discussions regarding Russia's anti-gay laws but cannot solve the problems within the country.

Vladimir Putin's legislation that bans gay 'propaganda' towards children has caused a global stir ahead of the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi.

"When something came up, we took it up with organisers," Bach told AFP. "These kind of discussions show the relevance of the Olympic Games. It shows how much interest there is in the world. The Games turn a focus on the country and we appreciate these kinds of discussions.

"The IOC is not a world government that can impose measures on a sovereign state. People expect that the IOC can solve all the problems of a country. We have no mandate for this."

The event gets underway on Thursday.