Next month Russia will host the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics – with tandem pooping one of the most highly anticipated sporting events.
OK that’s a lie. No one will be judging you on your toilet prowess. But they may well be watching.
Moscow based BBC correspondent Steve Rosenberg tweeted this snap on Tuesday of the toilet facilities at one stadium.
The image quickly went viral, drawing mockery, incredulity and plain confusion.
“Russians [were] gleefully retweeting the photo as a sign of corruption, shoddy construction or just what they couldn’t imagine,” wrote The Washington Post.
The BBC cites one blogger as commenting: “Two toilets – 28,000 roubles. Olympic media centre – 1.5bn roubles. Global embarrassment – priceless.”
Meanwhile Gay Star News muses as to whether the arrangement breaks the country’s own anti-gay legislation, quoting one commenter as asking: “Is this a setup by Russia to entrap gay sportsmen?”
Gay Rights In Russia
A “gay propaganda” ban was enacted in Russia in June and essentially bans displays of homosexuality. It is also “illegal to spread information about non-traditional sexual behaviour” to minors (under 18s).
Signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, the legislation gives the Russian government the right to detain gay or “pro-gay” foreigners up to 14 days before facing expulsion from the country.
There has been growing uproar at the prospect of gay athletes and supporters at the games facing arrest under the legislation.