By Zjan Shirinian

People were evacuated from the venue in Moscow after a smoke bomb was set off ©Russian Open Games/Federation of Gay Games March 1 - Bomb threats have forced the cancellation of two events at the Russian Open Games - a festival for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community - hours after a smoke bomb was set off.

The Federation of Gay Games say they have been told by organisers that the smoke bomb was set off during a basketball match by a man who presented ID as a member of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

The attack reportedly happened after media present in the morning for the start of tournament had left.

The video below, courtesy of the Russian Open Games/Federation of Gay Games, shows the venue in Moscow being evacuated.



Following's yesterday's incident, today's planned swimming races and basketball matches have now been cancelled after bomb threats were made.

Anastasia Kurchenkova, one of the organisers of the Games, reportedly told the Moscow Times the smoke bomb attack happened after the FSB tried to intimidate the owners of the facility used for the match - which has not been identified.

"The FSB first called the owners to tell them we were going to conduct a protest and run around naked in the gym, which was not the case at all," Kurchenkova said.

A few hours later, a man claiming to be from the FSB is said to have entered the venue to inspect it.

"I had stepped outside for just a moment," Kurchenkova added. "The next thing I know, a man was screaming 'fire, fire!' and there was smoke everywhere. But no fire."

There have reportedly been a string of issues in the build-up to, and during the Russian Open Games, with claims some venues have refused to hold events and hotels have cancelled participants' booking.

Today, Dutch Minister of Sport Edith Schippers opened the indoor football tournament, accompanied by ex Dutch internationals Aron Winter and Marc van Hintum.

There had been reports of a bomb threat being made at the venue.

Gay rights issues dominated the build-up to the Sochi Winter Olympics.

A law banning the "propoganda of non-traditional sexual relations" was introduced into the Duma - the Lower House of Russian Parliament - last June and has since provoked widespread international condemnation.

At least three gay activists have reportedly been found guilty of promoting non-traditional relationships and ordered to pay fines since the law was introduced.

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