Are The Sochi Olympics Heading For Disaster?

[Purveyor]

By Michael Hiltzik
December 30, 2013, 2:20 p.m.

Security concerns have been entwined with the planning for every Olympiad at least since Munich 1972. The horrific events in Volgograd in recent days are only a reminder that the Sochi Winter Olympics will open some five weeks from now in a frighteningly unstable part of the former Soviet empire.

The North Caucasus, as two prominent critics of the Olympics project have written, is "a region with a traditionally high terrorist threat level." The Volgograd bombings add another layer of tension and doubt about Russian security preparations.

But there are more reasons for concern for the success of these Olympics, a personal project of Russian President Vladimir Putin. They're being staged in the worst conceivable location, stupendously over budget, rife with corruption and logistically nightmarish. The head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, says he expects the games to be safe, secure, and successful, but what else can he say? The games open on Feb. 7.

Many people are wondering if these will be the Olympics where the most dire warnings come true.

The most assiduous critics are Boris Nemtsov and Leonid Martynyuk. The former is a Sochi native and former candidate for mayor (he has said the election was rigged against him). He and Martynyuk are longtime anti-Putin activists. Their report on the chicanery surrounding the Sochi project, "Winter Olympics in the Sub-Tropics," first published on May 30 and since updated, makes for a shocking read.

"Russia is a winter country," they begin. "It’s hard to find a place on the map of Russia where there hasn’t been snow and where winter sports are not developed. But Putin found such a spot and decided to hold the winter Olympics there. It’s the city of Sochi."

MORE...

http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-sochi-20131230,0,6553614.story#ixzz2p0KGU7Af

[jberryhill]

1. Check with Mitt Romney - Olympic Security Expert

[madinmaryland]

19. I'm sure Putin took rMoney's advice and spent a lot of government money on the project.

[MADem]

2. Maybe not a disaster, but the US is sending armed security teams to help protect our people.

That's pretty telling.

They plainly don't trust Pootie and Pals to do the job--and well they should NOT.

[Purveyor]

4. Remember Atlanta... Our backyard isn't so pretty when it comes to Olympic security either. eom

[MADem]

10. The problem in Sochi won't be some shithead/dickweed who is opposed to abortion and hates gays.

Though I'm sure they've got plenty of cretins on that order saturating their population.

The people who will be lighting it up at Sochi will be far more "politically angered" as opposed to "societally outraged."

Though we had some ersatz security at that Atlanta event, we weren't in "Nahn Wun Wun changed ever-thang" mode. We were still digesting the lessons from Lebanon USMC barracks and OK.

If you recall, a fat security guard who found the damn thing and cleared the area, limiting fatalities to a couple of people, was later wrongly accused. There are still idiots who think he did it, even though he was -- far too late -- acknowledged as a life-saver in that mess.

Already, before the Olympics have started, their fatality list is three times ours--and that's if you count the guy in Atlanta who died of a heart attack after the fact.

I think these bombings are a harbinger--they're saying "We're going after the transit and feeder points. No where is safe." I'd be nervous if I had to make a stopover anywhere without first class security enroute to Sochi, and I'd be eager to avoid crowds to the extent possible going from point A to point B--something that will be pretty much impossible to do, I suspect.

I'm glad Obama is giving it a miss. I hope the delegation stays safe.

[Wait Wut]

6. That's good to hear.

One of the things I don't mind paying taxes for.

I'm still nervous, though.

[MADem]

15. Me, too--I'd favor "ballistic uniforms" for our team, to be blunt about it.

I'd even get over the "buy American" thing if they gave them, at least, ballistic formal wear, say, an overcoat, for the ceremonies when everyone's packed together so tightly. No one does a better job at that sort of thing than the Colombians, Miguel Caballero, specifically --they own the market.

[Boomerproud]

7. And the Russians are letting us do that?

Yes, that IS telling. Why did Sochi get the nod in the first place? I wish all of the athletes well-they don't deserve any kind of negativity.

[MADem]

12. Yes. Apparently the teams aren't too thrilled with the level of cooperation with the

FSB, et. al., though.

I think Sochi was some "in your face" thing with Pootie to the Chechens, or something...not really sure. I remember the big concern after it was chosen was that they might not have any snow for the events. It's pretty warm there right now!

[dsc]

18. crap that is warmer than in NC

and we wouldn't dream of holding the winter Olympics here.

[Common Sense Party]

3. This might be a very bad year for international sporting events.

Brasil isn't looking very prepared for the World Cup, either.

[MADem]

16. I say let's go back to Lillehammer if Sochi is a hot mess with danger and no snow...!

There's an hilarious and irreverent NETFLIX series starring Steve Van Zandt as a Witness Protection mobster living in Norway called "Lilyhammer" which showcases that little place to very good effect...and they still have the luges and ski jumps and other venues still up and running...(they're showcased in the programme, usually as an instrument of mild torture).

[Bennyboy]

5. The disaster train is smoking down the tracks....

No snow. Gay athletes. Anti-gay Gov't policies.. Terror attacks in train stations.

I personally can't wait.

[Bennyboy]

9. Another bombing today...

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/30/world/europe/russia-volgograd-explosion/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Purveyor]

13. I do believe this is the one reported on here yesterday. There have been 2 attacks so far and

this is the second one.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014683826

[Throd]

8. Magic 8 ball says: "Da"

[elfin]

14. Excellent remark!

Glad I do not have family or close friends attending or participating.

Very worried about our gay athletes in particular.

[customerserviceguy]

11. You don't need to bomb the Olympics sites to make the Olympics 'bomb'

All you have to do is make people afraid to travel to them. A good strategy is to start some weeks before they begin, with a steady stream of suicide bombers, and eventually, you'll see cancelled reservations. All it takes is a minor dropoff of the expected turnout to make these Olympics a guaranteed money pit.

[Purveyor]

17. See here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024252635

[arthritisR_US]

20. Well, Karma is bitch ;) nt

[Purveyor]

21. I really do hope you are not supportive of such attacks just to justify a point you (and I) may have

with Putin over gay rights.

[arthritisR_US]

22. I was being facetious but if his games tanked

due to low turnout I wouldn't shed a tear. Social justice and civil rights are short in Pukins repertoire so I hope his negative energy deters anyone from making the trip to his hot bed of hate. I'm not even going to watch the games on the Telly.

[moondust]

24. Maybe.

I think I might be concerned that the bombers may have started pre-positioning explosives in Sochi sometime after the IOC announcement in summer 2007 but before Russia got around to setting up heavy security in the area.