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Cher: Turning Down Olympic Gig Was A "No-Brainer"

posted 18 Sept 2013, 07:38 by Sam Mbale   [ updated 18 Sept 2013, 07:39 ]

Cher says her decision to turn down an appearance at the Russian Olympic games was a "no-brainer" due to the country's anti-gay laws.

MALIBU, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 16, 2013) (REUTERS ) - Cher is supporting her friends and fans in Russia and denouncing the country's anti-gay laws by refusing to appear at the 2014 Winter Olympic games in Sochi. The singer made headlines recently when she told Canada's Maclean magazine that she had received an offer to "be an ambassador for the Olympics and open the show." In an interview with Reuters Television on Monday (September 16), the singer said the decision not to attend was easy.

"Probably no one will ever ask me to come to the Olympics [again] and be a goodwill ambassador, there were a couple of different things offered, so it was hard in one way to say no, but in another way, it's a no-brainer. You can't do it. Your heart doesn't let you go there," said Cher.

Over the summer, Russia passed a controversial law that bans the public discussion or display of gay rights in front of minors. The law has many gay rights groups calling for a boycott of the games and has seen a slew of Hollywood celebrities speaking out against it.

As for Cher, she's releasing a new album on September 24 entitled, "Closer to the Truth." The album's first single, "Woman's World," is a dance club hit and is holding steady on the Billboard charts.



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