French President Francois Hollande to miss Sochi games

French President Francois Hollande will not attend the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said, without giving a reason for the decision.

Last week German President Joachim Gauck also said he was not going to the games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Activists have urged leaders to boycott the event over human rights concerns, including a new Russian law banning 'homosexual propaganda', the BBC reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said gay athletes were welcome in the country and that the new law is needed to protect minors.