A gay athlete who won a silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi has said that sport provides "a chance to change something" in Russia.
Austria's Daniela Iraschko-Stolz, who married her female partner last year, finished second in the first ever women's ski jump contest earlier this week.
"When you are in the media, many people maybe knew my name and also knew that I am married with a woman," Attitude quotes the 30-year-old as saying.
"And now the Olympic Games are here in Russia and they will end here in Russia. I hope for the future that the people now can see the sport as a chance to change something.
"That would be nice. Because everyone looks at Russia and its laws, and I think it's a good idea to change something."
Russia's controversial laws banning homosexual propaganda have been a major talking point ahead of the Games.
Written by
Sian Cowper
Sian Cowper
