Sovietsky Sport editor: 'our fair-skinned girls massively beat the black-skinned ones'

Also: Why Sochi officials will break gay "propaganda" law each time they play U.S. national anthem during a medal ceremony

Stuart Williams of Agence-France Presse revealed a side dish of racism accompanying Russian homophobia in his piece, Anti-gay row may tarnish Russia's sporting glory:

     The depth of anger was shown by a bizarre nationalist eulogy penned Monday by Sovietsky Sport editor Yury Tsybanev about the exploits of the 4x400-metres female quartet who beat the United States for the gold.
     "They were standing on top of the pedestal, our four little blondes, four Russian birch trees, and it was as if the blood of our ancestors boiled in my veins," he said, boasting that our "fair-skinned girls massively beat the black-skinned ones".
     He said the Russian quartet had "genes picked up from Russia's centuries of historic struggle and upheaval". He added: "Consider this my answer to those 'rights activists' who started pestering and insulting Lena Isinbayeva."
     Interestingly, the respected head of Russia's Athletics Federation Valentin Balakhnichev was among the few Russian officials to criticise Isinbayeva on the issue.

Below: the US 4x400 Women's relay team (Natasha Hastings Jessica Beard Ashley Spencer and Francena McCorory) won the silver medal  at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on August 17, 2013. The U.S. won 25 medals, Russia 17.