MOSCOW -- The International Olympic Committee is waiting for more clarifications from the Russian government on the anti-gay law that is overshadowing preparations for the Winter Games in Sochi, IOC President Jacques Rogge said Friday. The law, signed by President Vladimir Putin in June, bans "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies. It has caused a major international outcry and spawned calls for protests ahead of the Feb. 7-23 Olympics in the Black Sea resort. Rogge said the Russian government provided written re-assurances about the law on Thursday, but that some elements are still too unclear to pass judgment. "We are waiting for the clarifications before having the final judgment on these reassurances," Rogge said, a day before the start of the world athletics championships in Moscow. Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko insisted Thursday that Olympic athletes would have to respect the laws of the country during the Sochi Games. On Friday, he said there was no way Russia would back down under political pressure. Referring to Western criticism, Mutko was quoted as saying by Interfax: "I wouldnt call the pressure light. Russia must understand that the stronger we are, the more other people arent going to like it. We have a unique country." "We dont have to be afraid of threats to boycott the Olympic Games," Mutko said. "All sensible people understand that sports demand independence, that it is inadmissible that politics intervene." On Thursday, Mutko did make it clear that the private lives and privacy of athletes would be respected as it is guaranteed by the Russian constitution Rogge said that was essential. "The Olympic charter is clear," Rogge said. "A sport is a human right and it should be available to all, regardless of race, sex or sexual orientation." Even if Russia accepts that principle, the law leaves open the issue of athletes speaking freely during the games. "As far as the freedom of expression is concerned, of course, this is something that is important," Rogge said. "But we cannot make a comment on the law" until the clarifications have been received. The All Out advocacy group said it was happy with Rogges comments. "This is the strongest and most direct statement we have received from the International Olympic Committee. It shows the IOC is listening to the global outcry," said All Out Executive Director Andre Banks. Still, Rogge pleaded for time to study the Russian reassurances some more. "I understand your impatience to get the full picture, but we havent (received) it today," Rogge said. "There are still too many uncertainties in the text." Rogge said the problems seemed to centre on translations. "We dont think it is a fundamental issue," he said at a news conference following a meeting of the IOC executive board with the International Association of Athletics Federations.Air Force 1 Low Australia .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. Nike Air Force 1 Mid 07 Australia . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. http://www.airforce1shoesaustralia.com/sf-af1-australia.html . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. Air Force 1 Australia Cheap . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Air Force 1 Shoes Australia . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net.OPELIKA, Ala. -- Jhonattan Vegas failed to qualify for the British Open, relegating the Venezuelan Olympic qualifier to the Barbasol Championship. So far, it has worked out quite well.In far gentler conditions Friday morning than his peers faced across the Atlantic, Vegas shot a course-record 60, making?11-under with a hole-in-one, another eagle and two closing birdies. He pumped his fist when his final 12-foot birdie putt dropped in on the par-4 ninth.You have to celebrate a round like this, Vegas said. They dont come that often and every chance you do it, I just have to celebrate it.Tied for the first-round lead with Angel Cabrera after a 65 on Grand Nationals Lake Course, Vegas had a six-stroke lead and a 17-under 125 total -- a shot off the PGA Tour record for strokes in the first two rounds.In a great place, no question about it, Vegas said. Theres still a lot of golf to be played.He missed a chance to become the seventh PGA Tour player to shoot 59.When I got to 8 under, I actually let myself think a little bit about 59, Vegas said. Its a lot of pressure and, two, its real demanding because you always want to keep it going, you dont want to feel like you want to protect the score. At the same time, you just want to shoot as low as you can.Vegas played a six-hole stretch on his first nine in 7 under. He started with a birdie on the par-3 12th, made a 12-footer for his second straight eagle on the par-5 13th, birdied the par-4 14th and 15th and par-5 16th, and capped the run with the ace on the 17th.I had a perfect number; 190 yards is my 7-iron, Vegas said. I hit a great 7-iron. I mean, high, right at it, turning toward the pin and I knew it was going to be fairly close but never expected to go in. It was just a great feeling seeing that ball go in.ddddddddddddOn his second nine, Vegas birdied the par-4 second, bogeyed the par-4 fourth and birdied the par-5 fifth. He made a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eighth and the 12-footer on the ninth.Obviously, Im 10 under coming to nine. I know that Im striking the ball well and I just wanted to be aggressive. That was my whole mentality coming into nine. I had 170 yards and hit a full 9-iron as far as I could and was able to make a great putt for a phenomenal round.Vegas has played the three par-5 holes in 8 under, making an eagle and two birdies each day. He won the 2011 Bob Hope Classic for his lone tour title.Hudson Swafford was second at 11 under after a 63. He had an eagle, eight birdies and a double bogey.Saw Jhonny Vegas shot 60 today, thats unbelievable, Swafford said. But I feel like I played pretty well today just to kind of maybe put a little heat on him on the weekend with some birdies. I dont want just to sit around and try to make a bunch of pars so yeah, Im pretty happy with todays round.Former Auburn player Michael Johnson shot a 65 to reach 10 under in his pro debut.David Toms, along with Cabrera as the only major champions in the field, had a 66 to join Tim Herron (63), Kyle Reifers (65), Andres Gonzales (65), Roberto Castro (66) and Chesson Hadley (66) at 9 under. Herron holed out for eagle from 166 yards on the par-4 first.Cabrera was 11 strokes back at 6 under after a 71.Hunter Mahan missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 70 in his first event since the birth of his third child.The winner will get a two-year exemption and a spot in the PGA Championship, but will not be exempt for the Masters. ' ' '