Actor George Takei, best known for his portrayal of Lt. Sulu in the first Start Trek television series, is throwing his celebrity weight behind an online petition that calls for the relocation of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games to Vancouver.
The petition, called "," was started by 鈥淓quality For All鈥� and has so far garnered more than 49,000 supporters as of Wednesday afternoon.
Supporters of the petition say the Games should be stripped from Russia and moved to Vancouver 鈥� where the Winter Olympics were last held.
is the latest celebrity figure to join a growing chorus of people weighing in on Russia鈥檚 new controversial anti-gay laws.
Passed in June, the bill bans the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" and imposes fines on individuals holding gay pride rallies.
In a on Wednesday, Takei describes Russia鈥檚 new law as "draconian" and says a call to move the Olympics would not be seen as outlandish had the bill been directed at Jews, Roman Catholics or Muslims.
"Many believe that such a call to move the Olympics out of Russia goes too far. Would this be their opinion if the law instead called for the arrest of any Jews, Roman Catholics or Muslims should they display any sign of their religion such as wearing a yamaka or praying while facing Mecca?" asks Takei.
Takei is not the only celebrity who wants to see the Winter Games relocated.
In an open letter to the British Prime Minister David Cameron and Rogge, British actor and writer Stephen Fry compared Russia鈥檚 President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 鈥渂arbaric, fascist law鈥� to the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany.
"An absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014 in Sochi is simply essential," Fry wrote. "At all costs, Putin cannot be seen to have the approval of the civilized world."
Fry鈥檚 open letter, published in the Huffington Post, follows U.S. President Barack Obama鈥檚 statement that gays and lesbians in many parts of the world are seen as equal citizens.
"I think (Putin and Russia) understand that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics, we wouldn鈥檛 tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently," Obama told host Jay Leno on Tuesday鈥檚 edition of "The Tonight Show."
The relationship between the two countries have been strained as of late due a number of issues, including Russia鈥檚 decision to grant asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.
Obama on Wednesday called off a Moscow summit with Putin -- a move that was downplayed by IOC vice president Craig Reedie. He said the tense relations between Russia and the U.S. shouldn鈥檛 affect the Winter Games.
"If there are political tensions rising, it wouldn鈥檛 be the first time before an Olympic Games," Reedie told The Associated Press. He added that the Games will "overcome political tensions."
With files from The Associated Press
