Winter Olympics take over Sochi



By: Peter Lewis

From now until February 23, the world’s attention will be on Sochi, Russia, for the twenty second Winter Olympics. Sochi, a town of less than 350,000 in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, along the Black Sea, will host the first Olympics held in Russia since the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow.  Since Sochi won the rights to host in 2007, beating out Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Salzburg, Austria, they began planning and constructing the venues for the games.  In modern Olympic tradition, the Russian government approved billions for the projects to make the city presentable.  After seven years of constructing and the typical Olympic controversies surrounding the builds, the games are now underway.

Ninety nations, competing in 98 different events in seven sports, have met at Fisht Olympic Stadium to open the most expensive and modern Olympics in history.  For the events, hockey will probably be the most watched.   Canada, Russia, and the United State , as in years past, are the expected top contenders and all seemingly having legitimate chances at gold.  The US defeated Russia in a memorable qualification game, where the US Women’s team will meet Canada in the gold medal game.  Other events like snowboarding, skiing, bobsleighing, skating, and curling will be on hand with the most popular athletes in those sports competing under their nation’s flag. 

While the Winter Olympics are not as popular as the Summer Games, they are not immune to the same controversies. While the money and building controversies are expected, protests grab most of the negative press in Sochi.  The Olympics, good or bad, have become grounds for citizens of the host country to bring attention their country’s problems on the world stage.  Leading up to the games (the past two years), it has been no different than the protests surrounding the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.  The Russian government has been arresting those speaking out against the government.  While neither side is 100% right in many situations in Russia, the fighting has brought attention to Russia’s human rights issues.  In the summer, LBGT (Lesbian/Bisexual/Gay/Transgender) rights became the most controversial topic, so much so countries like the US were in consideration of boycotting the games.  While no country did, the view of these games has become less positive.  Some Western leaders, including President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, are not attending games.  While neither country has admitted to this being a boycott, the Russian Government and President Vladimir Putin are calling this a symbolic boycott and the Kremlin believes it to be an event to downplay Russia on a world stage.

However, these issues have become short lived since the Kremlin made security threats public.  Since the 1972 Munich Summer Games and aftermath of 9/11, security has become a top concern, but Russia may be caught in a very bad position.  As the games got closer, terrorist attacks outside Sochi (by Islamic radicals) made the reputation of the games seem more unsafe.  As threats mounted, Russia ordered 40,000 police and soldiers to patrol the area in Sochi, known as the “Ring of Steel.”  While the village looks to be in safe hands, the area outside the “Ring of Steel” is a major question for athletes and fans.  The day of the opening ceremony a failed hijacking attempt on an airline to Sochi was foiled, which made the question of security a topic that will stay through the games.  While no attacks have occurred as of now, Russia is not letting up at all.

Yet, with the structural imperfections and rushed development of venues causing the most stir, it seems so far these games may not be the most highly regarded games in recent memory.  Unless the astonishing events take place, and with winter sports usually not being the most popular sports, the games’ legacy are going to be hard to judge.