At least two Swedish athletes at the world championships in Moscow competed with rainbow-coloured fingernails on Thursday, showing support for gays and lesbians against Russia's new anti-gay law.
High jumper Emma Green Tregaro posted a picture of her fingers on Instagram, saying "Nails painted in the colors of the rainbow".
"This is to show what I stand for. I think sports are about respecting and tolerating each other, so I thought it was a nice gesture," Green Tregaro told the Swedish news agency TT.
Swedish sprinter Moa Hjelmer also sported rainbow-coloured nails when she ran in the 200m heats.
"Some teammates have done the same," Sweden team spokesman Fredrik Trahn said. "The federation has not discussed it. It is all up to the athletes."
The rainbow flag is often used as a symbol of gay rights and gay pride.
After running a brilliant anchor leg to book Australia a berth in the 4x400m relay final, Tristan Thomas said there were gay people in the team who had his full support.
"I don't want to say anything bad against the country that has put on such a good show for us all," said Thomas.
"Ideally in the world everyone should feel comfortable in who they are or having the views that they do.
"I'm not a leader.
"I know there are people in our team who are gay and I support them 100 per cent in what they do so I guess - it's not really my place to say yay or nay - but in my world everyone should feel comfortable in themself."
The issue of gay rights has gained increasing attention from Western activists and entertainers since Russia passed an anti-gay law in June.
There have even been calls for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in June signed into law legislation that punishes the dissemination of information about homosexuality to minors but which activists say can be used for a broad crackdown against gays.
Russian pole vault legend Yelena Isinbayeva said on Thursday she was against a boycott of the Sochi Games.
The 31-year-old - who won her third world title earlier in the week - added that foreign athletes who contravened the law should face criminal charges.
"I do not support this boycott (idea)," Isinbayeva said at a press conference.
"I am against polemics. If politicians and other people who have nothing to do with sport want to use us in this boycott then I am against it.
"Of course if they (Sochi participants) are going to propagandise homosexuality on the street then that will show a lack of respect for us.
"We are against propaganda of such relationships but we are not against what choice a person makes or who they make a relationship with."
