USOC sponsor AT&T has "condemned a Russian law restricting gay-rights activity" on the eve of the start of the Sochi Games, becoming the "first major U.S. corporation" to do so publicly, according to Oskar Garcia of the AP. AT&T in a blog post wrote that the law is "harmful to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and harmful to a diverse society." The company wrote, "We support LGBT equality globally and we condemn violence, discrimination and harassment targeted against LGBT individuals everywhere." Garcia noted activists have "pressed the IOC and Olympic sponsors to denounce the law and call for its repeal, launching a campaign in July with a boycott of Russian vodka" (AP, 2/4). USA TODAY's Erik Brady writes Olympic sponsors are "spending millions to associate their brands with Olympic gold," but the "question is if they can get their money's worth at a Games where the specter of terrorism and Russia's anti-gay laws are dominant early story lines." USOC CMO Lisa Baird said, "I don't think there is any controversy associated with Team USA. ... Team USA is one of the least-controversial sports properties you could be associated with." 21 Marketing Founder & CEO Rob Prazmark said that consumers "tend to understand the difference between the athletes who are competing and the outside forces over which they have no control" (USA TODAY, 2/5).
