AMERICAN athlete Erica Bougard struck a blow for equality by defiantly wearing rainbow colours on her shoes at the World Athletics Championships in Qatar.
Heptathlete Bougard competed over the seven-discipline event in Doha happily sporting the coloured signal of Pride.
Erica Bougard wore rainbow trimmed shoes during the World Athletic Championships
Bougard says she is happy to inspire others struggling with their sexual identity by wearing rainbow shoes in QatarCredit: AP:Associated Press
But she denied she was making any political point with her choice of footwear in a country where homosexual acts are illegal and carry a prison sentence of up to three years.
Bougard began a relationship with her current girlfriend a year ago and says she is happy if she can help anyone struggling with their sexual identities.
The 26-year-old said: “I honestly didn’t think about it because it was already on my shoe.
“I put the flag on my shoe and people noticed it, I guess.
“I feel like we have a voice, us as athletes, because more people look at us to perform.
“It’s important because I feel like people hate people for loving who they love. Some people don’t believe in it, which is totally fine.
“I wanted to show my side and put the symbol on my shoe.
“Hopefully I do get a lot of praise. I hope I don’t get bashed a lot.”
Questions surrounding the treatment of LGBT+ people in countries on the Arab Peninsula have been raised going into the competition.
IAAF president Lord Coe ducked the issue when he was quizzed on it last week, but Dahlan Al Hammad – head of the local organising committee – insisted Qatar would comply with international law.
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Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
