It will soon be time for many of us to tune in to our televisions for coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympics. This February, many athletes and spectators will be traveling to Sochi, Russia.

Unfortunately, those who make the trip will be faced with somewhat of a controversy. This past summer, a new Russian law was signed that made it illegal to distribute propaganda encouraging “nontraditional” sex to those under the age of 18.

On its own, it might not seem like such a big deal. Distributing propaganda encouraging any kind of sex to minors is something that most people can agree is generally inappropriate. What worries many is the extremely vague wording of the law. As it sits, individuals could potentially be fined or even imprisoned for having a rainbow flag in a public area where minors could be attending.

Beyond this, the law is one of many that unfairly targets those who identify as LGBT. For example, Russia also does not allow same-sex couples to adopt children. Public demonstrations in Russia showing opposition to these policies will now face prosecution under the propaganda law.

The International Olympic Committee has been working with the Russian government for months now in trying to come up with a solution that will benefit all parties involved. Earlier in the year, many called for a boycott of the games to show support for the LGBT community.

Others, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., previously suggested a boycott based upon Russia’s acceptance of Edward Snowden, a whistleblower who leaked classified NSA documents, and Russia’s support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

At this point, a boycott has been taken off the table, as it is seen as penalizing athletes and lacking the intended effect of strongly reprimanding Russia.

Instead of a boycott, some have suggested a change of venue. Actors George Takei and Stephen Fry each proposed moving the games to another location. Both men are openly gay and work to increase awareness of the discrimination that faces people who are gay.

In response to the myriad of people and groups who have shown outrage, Russian officials have not backed down from asserting that their law will remain in place but have agreed to allow areas designated for protests.

The size and location of these designated areas have yet to be announced, but Russian authorities have continually reported to the international community that athletes and travelers who are gay will not be prosecuted simply for their lifestyle.

It has been the contention of Russia that only those who actually break the law will be apprehended. Despite these assurances, there are still those who think it best to avoid the whole problem. Another actor, Ian McKellen, was warned by U.K. officials that he should not attend the Winter Games in Russia, as they cannot guarantee protection for him from the Russian authorities.

In response, McKellen publicly expressed incredulity at the fact that modern Russia is a place “where to be positively oneself, to be affectionate in public with someone you love of the same gender, or to talk of that love in the hearing of anyone under 18, will put you in prison.”

McKellen’s interpretation of what the propaganda law means is justified. In another place and time, laws protecting children from propaganda may be taken at face value. But in today’s Russia, giving them the benefit of the doubt is neither likely nor wise.

If the law was really about propaganda aimed at children, it would not be an issue. That is not its purpose, though. Instead, it is a barely veiled attempt to alienate and legally punish those who have different sexual preferences than the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian government.

In places like the United States, it might feel that the problems of an LGBT community halfway around the world are not high on the list of things we need to care about, but the whole purpose of Olympic Games is to foster cultural acceptance and good will.

We do not need to boycott the Sochi games or move this year’s Olympics to another location to voice our displeasure with what are unquestionably discriminatory actions by the Russian government. Protests and demonstrations will undoubtedly occur at the games, and people throughout the world will make their feelings known, with voices of either approval or dismay.

As long as Russia is a sovereign nation, that is all we can do. One can only hope that the Russian people — and through them their government — will listen and that reforms to increase tolerance will soon ensue.