U.S. runner Nick Symmonds took a swipe at Russia 's anti-gay propaganda law after winning a silver medal in the 800-meter competition at the World Track & Field Championships in Moscow , according to state-run media . Symmonds became the first athlete to openly criticize the law on Russian soil Tuesday when , after registering a time of one minute , 43.55 seconds , he dedicated his second-place finish to all his gay friends back home , RIA Novosti reported . `` As much as I can speak out about it , I believe that all humans deserve equality as however God made them , '' he told the news outlet at Luzhniki Stadium . `` Whether you 're gay , straight , black , white , we all deserve the same rights . If there 's anything I can do to champion the cause and further it , I will , shy of getting arrested . '' Symmonds , 29 , who appeared in a February ad for the gender-equality group , NOH8 , went on record with his sentiments earlier this month in a blog post for Runner 's World magazine . In it , he flatly stated his support for LGBT rights -- and his disagreement with the Russian law -- but promised not to raise the subject in Russia because `` the playing field is not a place for politics . '' `` I say this not out of fear of prosecution by the Russian government , but out of respect for the fact that I will be a guest in the host nation . Just as I would not accept a dinner invite to a friend 's house and then lecture them on how to raise their kids , neither will I lecture the Russian government on how to govern their people , '' he wrote . CNN iReport : What it 's like to be gay in Russia . Russia insists the law , which was signed in June and bans `` propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations around minors , '' is intended to protect children . It bars discussion of gay rights and relationships within earshot of children . International rights groups have called the legislation highly discriminatory , as anti-gay attacks are on the rise in Russia and are sometimes perpetrated by the police themselves . There have been widespread calls for boycotts and protests -- including a vodka-dumping demonstration in Los Angeles -- casting a pall over the 2014 Sochi Olympics . The gay rights group , All Out , has delivered a petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures denouncing Russia 's stance on gay rights . The International Olympic Committee says it has `` received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games . '' The committee told All Out representatives last week that it would pursue a stronger , written statement from the government , All Out spokesman Guillaume Bonnet said .
Nick Symmonds is first athlete to openly criticize anti-gay law on Russian soil . Runner says he will do anything to champion equality , except get arrested . The American took a silver medal at World Track & Field Championships . Russian law prohibits talk of gay rights , relationships in earshot of children .