GAY FORMER SKATER GIVES PUTIN FASHION MIDDLE FINGER

American figure skating commentator Johnny Weir is giving Russia’s anti-gay law the middle finger by wearing flamboyant outfits as he presents live from Sochi.

Weir, who is an openly-gay former figure-skating world champion, has been criticised for taking on the job of commentating at the Winter Olympics for the NBC network and not speaking out against the host country’s “gay propaganda” law.

He told the New York Times that “I’m not a politician and I don’t really talk about politics. You don’t have to agree with the politics, but you have to respect the culture of a country you are visiting.”

The 29-year-old now appears to have his own strategy to make a statement in support of LGBT equality, or at least striking out for fashion individuality, by outshining fellow co-commentator Tara Lipinski on air. That’s thanks to a host of coordinated often-camp designer outfits that would make President Putin blush.

He’s also not been shy about been wearing lipstick, pearl necklaces and other blingy items of jewellery on air that would most commonly be spotted on a Hollywood red carpet.

Weir’s dandy style of dress has been on display both on television and on his Instagram account, featuring a host of sartorial selfies.

The fashion forward display hasn’t gone unnoticed on social media. Billy Stacy (‏@wkstace12), commented that, “Johnny Weir’s outfit is a big time middle finger to Putin and his cronies.”

Paola Boivin (‏@PaolaBoivin) wrote: “Love that Johnny Weir continues to be who he wants to be, in a country whose govmnt probably doesn’t like it.”

The HuffPost TV (‏@HuffPostTV) added that, “Johnny Weir’s fashion is taking over the Olympics.”