Nearly 90,000 people have signed a petition to have the 2014 Winter Olympics moved to Vancouver, Canada instead of Sochi, Russia as is currently planned.
The petition was started by a group called Equality For All and addressed to President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge. It says the move is possible as the facilities are still in place since Vancouver hosted the last games in 2010.
It states that the IOC request to allow gay athletes to compete in the games is not enough, and that moving the games will tell Russia the world "will not tolerate the abhorrent persecution of minority groups".
Broadcaster Stephen Fry tweeted his support of the petition, while Star Trek actor George Takei blogged: "With enough support, maybe the IOC and the sponsors will realize that this is a disaster in the making, and the best course is to move immediately and decisively to relocate the Winter Games of 2014."
Yesterday, Fry addressed a public letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron and the IOC asking them not to hold the games in Russia.
He was calling attention to the reported beatings, murders and humiliations taking place against members of the Russian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community which he said are being ignored by police.
