Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina announces she is gay

The 25-year-old, a semi-finalist at last month's French Open, said she was inspired to come out after Russian football striker Nadya Karpova revealed she was gay in a country where homosexuality is frowned upon. "Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, **** everyone else," Kasatkina told Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko after telling him that she has a girlfriend.

"I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it. It is important for young people who have a hard time with society and need support." Russian lawmakers have proposed extending a ban on the promotion of "non-traditional" sexual relationships to minors to include adults as well.

Russia's existing "gay propaganda" law, passed in 2013, has been used to stop gay pride marches and detain gay rights activists.