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Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone "completely agrees" with Russia president Vladimir Putin's policy towards homosexuality and believes "90% of the world" do as well.
Ecclestone, who won a High Court battle with German media company Constantin Medien on Thursday, aired his support for Putin's government's anti-gay legislation which prohibits spreading so-called "gay" propaganda to minors.
Recently introduced, it has prompted outrage around the world before - and during - the Sochi Winter Olympics.
But Ecclestone told CNN: "He [Putin] hasn't said he doesn't agree [with homosexuality] just that he doesn't want these things publicised to an audience under the age of 18. I completely agree with those sentiments and if you took a world census you'd find 90% of the world agree with it as well.”
Ecclestone, 83, added: "I've great admiration for him and his courage to say what he says…[It] may upset a few people but that's how the world is. It's how he sees [the world] and I think he's completely right."
Ecclestone and Putin
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(01 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (R) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin leave after signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R(02 of20)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone leave a ceremony after signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R(03 of20)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone leave a ceremony after signing an agreement to bring to Sochi a Formula One racing for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics, on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(04 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (L) toasts with as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin after a signing of an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R(05 of20)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) invites Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone during a ceremony of signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R(06 of20)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone talk during a ceremony of signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(07 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone signs an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi, on October 2010, as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (top) watches. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(08 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (R) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin leave after signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(09 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (R) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin leave after signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(10 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (L) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin shake hands prior to signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(11 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (L) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin shake hands prior to signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(12 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (L) toasts with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin after signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(13 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (R) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin leave after signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R(14 of20)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone talk during a ceremony of signing of an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin le(15 of20)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin leaves a room after a signing an agreement with Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(16 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (R) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin enter a meetimg room prior to signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R(17 of20)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone talk during a ceremony of signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(18 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (L) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attend a ceremony on October 14, 2010 after Ecclestone has agreed terms with Russia for the country to hold its first Grand Prix in Winter Olympics host city Sochi in 2014. Ecclestone told the Kommersant daily that after several rounds of negotiations conditions for the contract have been agreed and they had been given the document. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(19 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone signs an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010, as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (top) looks at him. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Formula One racing director Bernie Eccle(20 of20)
Formula One racing director Bernie Ecclestone (R) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin enter a meetimg room prior to signing an agreement to bring Formula One racing to Sochi for a Grand Prix Russia to be held in 2014, the same year the Black Sea resort hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi on October 14, 2010. Putin, whose backing was crucial in Sochi winning the right to host the Games, is due in the city on Thursday to sign an agreement for work to begin on the construction of a new 200 million dollar circuit. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The F1 boss is not stranger to controversy. A couple of years ago at the Bahrain GP, whilst pro-democracy protests were being staged (and still are), Ecclestone told reporters who questioned whether or not a GP should be held: "Go to Syria and write about those things there because it's more important than here."
Formula 1 will host its first Russian Grand Prix at Sochi in October.