Sochi Olympics

[B.J.]

The actual GAMES might go smoothly, but from what I keep hearing, the facilities to house the players and writers are, to put it mildly, sub-par. In the same sense that the Pacific Ocean is 'a pond'.

Do we know the quality of the facilities aren't just par for the course? I don't remember seeing any videos of the facilities from say... London.

The facilities in London didn't have packs of stray dogs roving around and through the building while being hunted by doggie death squads, didn't have construction workers sleeping in your still incomplete rooms, didn't have non-working elevators and poorly working toilets, didn't have yellow water which burns your face come out of faucets and showers, etc. etc. etc. The athlete accommodations are supposed to be slightly better than the journalist ones, but it doesn't bode well when you house the people who are going to write about the games in something that looks like it belongs on the set of Enemy at the Gates.

I hope it goes well, because I don't want to see the athletes suffer because of Putin's assholery (or Chechen terrorists), but I'm not optimistic. I'm sure they'll try and make the best of it, though.

Yeah, the situation with the facilities in Sochi is inexcusable. I was going to Georgia Tech before and during the 1996 Olympics, and I can tell you that this is definitely not par for the course. The facilities built for the 1996 Olympics to house all the athletes, reporters, etc. are still being used today as dorms, and rather nice ones at that.

 

[Spot's Meow]

The stories about these Olympics have been disappointing, bizarre, funny-in-a-sad-way, and often maddening. And they have just barely started! I won't be watching.

Let's just agree to let Canada host the Winter games from here on out, they know what they're doing!

 

[crookeddy]

The stories about these Olympics have been disappointing, bizarre, funny-in-a-sad-way, and often maddening. And they have just barely started! I won't be watching.

Most of these "stories" are pure anti Russian propaganda and borderline racism.

 

[MacLeod]

Well hosting the Olympics usually comes with the worlds spotlight.

 

[Hound of UIster]

I think you have to account for a decent amount of anti-russian sentiment on the part of Western media. Not that this explains Sochi, there is genuine corruption and misuse of funds. But a lot of these stories like the toilet paper one is just fluff.

 

[Squiggy]

The stories about these Olympics have been disappointing, bizarre, funny-in-a-sad-way, and often maddening. And they have just barely started! I won't be watching.

Most of these "stories" are pure anti Russian propaganda and borderline racism.

The Russian race?

 

[Hound of UIster]

Slavic race.

 

[Armored Saint]

Let's just agree to let Canada host the Winter games from here on out, they know what they're doing!

Vancouver is one of the warmest cities of the country, not a great choice for Winter games. And a lot of people found the Vancouver's bill too high for the treasury. I don't know for Calgary (1988), but Montreal (1976) was also really hard for the public funds. It's not the madness of Sotchi of course. So, despite the eagerness of the Quebec City's mayor, I don't think the country is willing to host Olympic games on a regular basis.

 

[JarodRussell]

As long as there is no terrorist attack, these games will be just as uneventful as the previous couple of games. I don't see why there's so much fuss being made over it. Is this a sports event or a hotel testing event?

They should stage the Winter games on neutral ground in Antarctica.

 

[crookeddy]

As long as there is no terrorist attack, these games will be just as uneventful as the previous couple of games. I don't see why there's so much fuss being made over it. Is this a sports event or a hotel testing event?

They should stage the Winter games on neutral ground in Antarctica.

Perhaps had it not been for the $51 billion price tag there wouldn't quite be so much scrutiny.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The stories about these Olympics have been disappointing, bizarre, funny-in-a-sad-way, and often maddening. And they have just barely started! I won't be watching.

Most of these "stories" are pure anti Russian propaganda and borderline racism.

Oh really? In what way is it 'racism' when visiting journalists and athletes post reports and pictures of the horribly squalid living conditions in the Olympic village?

 

[B.J.]

Found this over on imgur. Had to post it!

 

[JarodRussell]

As long as there is no terrorist attack, these games will be just as uneventful as the previous couple of games. I don't see why there's so much fuss being made over it. Is this a sports event or a hotel testing event?

They should stage the Winter games on neutral ground in Antarctica.

Perhaps had it not been for the $51 billion price tag there wouldn't quite be so much scrutiny.

Well at least it wasn't my money.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I look forward to the figure skating. I have since I was little.

 

[Hound of UIster]

The stories about these Olympics have been disappointing, bizarre, funny-in-a-sad-way, and often maddening. And they have just barely started! I won't be watching.

Most of these "stories" are pure anti Russian propaganda and borderline racism.

Oh really? In what way is it 'racism' when visiting journalists and athletes post reports and pictures of the horribly squalid living conditions in the Olympic village?

Well generally reinforcing the tired old trope that has been going on since the 17th century that Russia is a European backwater not as advanced culturally, technologically or militarily and that slavs are primitive and backwards.

 

[Amaris]

Most of these "stories" are pure anti Russian propaganda and borderline racism.

Oh really? In what way is it 'racism' when visiting journalists and athletes post reports and pictures of the horribly squalid living conditions in the Olympic village?

Well generally reinforcing the tired old trope that has been going on since the 17th century that Russia is a European backwater not as advanced culturally, technologically or militarily and that slavs are primitive and backwards.

There are floors missing in hotels, there's water that's dangerous to the skin coming out of hotel faucets, stray dogs running around and being exterminated by a task force, there are surveillance devices in shower stalls, and the Olympic Village looks like it was built by the folks at EconoLodge, and all for the tidy sum of $51,000,000,000 dollars.

What's great is no one had to talk about anyone being primitive and backwards; no sir, the word of the day is "corrupt," and heinously so.

 

[Emher]

I look forward to the figure skating. I have since I was little.

Aw, I'm gonna miss seeing that. Oh well, next Olympics.

 

[Hound of UIster]

Oh really? In what way is it 'racism' when visiting journalists and athletes post reports and pictures of the horribly squalid living conditions in the Olympic village?

Well generally reinforcing the tired old trope that has been going on since the 17th century that Russia is a European backwater not as advanced culturally, technologically or militarily and that slavs are primitive and backwards.

There are floors missing in hotels, there's water that's dangerous to the skin coming out of hotel faucets, stray dogs running around and being exterminated by a task force, there are surveillance devices in shower stalls, and the Olympic Village looks like it was built by the folks at EconoLodge, and all for the tidy sum of $51,000,000,000 dollars.

What's great is no one had to talk about anyone being primitive and backwards; no sir, the word of the day is "corrupt," and heinously so.

The OP was asking why it would be considered racism. I answered his question. Is that so difficult to deal with?

 

[MacLeod]

Isn't some of that US$51bn for other amenities like new hotels etc... And of course after the games there are plans to have a F1 race at Sochi, the first scheduled to take place on the 12th October (the 16th round)

 

[crookeddy]

Isn't some of that US$51bn for other amenities like new hotels etc... And of course after the games there are plans to have a F1 race at Sochi, the first scheduled to take place on the 12th October (the 16th round)

$51 billion is still an insane number. Its significantly more than what Beijing spent on a SUMMER Olympics. And that Olympics was pretty extravagant. I guess I can understand the negativity considering the price.