As the Olympics 2014 approach, many are pondering Russia’s capabilities for maintaining a stable presentation of games of sportsmanship. This is due to the recent allegations and events that may pose threat to these Winter Olympics. Alarming and controversial, these events have raised countless questions concerning security, violations, offenses, and efficiency. The following topics have proven to be obstacles in the face of the upcoming Olympics and must be looked at thoroughly.
Environmental Issues
While construction is proving to be financially costly in Sochi, it is also environmentally impactful. Promising proper structure and a “zero waste” building policy, Russia’s Kremlin may not achieve gold in terms of green construction. In a Gristmill article by Amelia Urry, titled “Sochi Olympics are Bad for Environment and Locals Alike,” it states that since construction commenced, locals have been enduring factors such as frequent power shortages, land subsidence, and air pollution. Going further, the people are also secluded from major urban centers, due to the tedious construction of a $635 million highway. Already without a constant supply of water, locals fear for their well-being. In addition to disturbances of daily lives, the construction seems to have turned the other cheek when faced with ecological risks. Recent findings, reported from ENS article “Dark Side of The Sochi Winter Olympics: Environmental Damage” have shown that the path towards the completion of the winter games has led to the deforestation of the Mzymta River Valley and 5000 acres of woods, the contamination of the river adjacent to the valley due to toxic dumping, the removal of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Western Caucasus from the World Heritage Protection, and the destruction of quarries for mining-related purposes. Causing a domino effect, the actions that took place could catalyze internal conditions throughout the vast land, most notably the possibilities of avalanches, mudslides, and erosions.
Looking at the lives that were affected, residents on Baku Street have witnessed common occurrences In a Spiegel article, Benjamin Bidder reports that homes within the Baku Street region have been sliding at rate of 1.5 meters per annually, causing them to tilt towards the valley. In his article “Olympic Construction Sins: The Leaning Houses of Sochi,” Bidder interviewed a 52-year old resident known as Tigran Skiba. With Olympia Park at a distance of less than two kilometers away, Skiba worries that such distance would increase in propinquity, leading to further problems. In an effort to maintain a normal lifestyle in a house that has the same tilt angle as the leaning tower of Pisa, Skiba has relocated all the furniture, shifted the refrigerator, and has kept a watchful eye on his grandchildren as they play outside.
Many have spoken out against such mistreatments and negligence. Evgeny Vitishko, an outspoken geologist and environmentalist, is facing prison time for his actions against such projects. In Aljazeera’s article “Russia Cracks Down on Green Activism Ahead of Sochi Olympics” Alice Speri reports thatVitishko has been sentenced to three years in prison for interfering with public interests and work. Denying all charges, he was accused of violating a curfew. Rachel Denber, a Human Rights Watch Deputy Director, said: “It seems that every other day, police in Sochi are detaining and stopping people who are political and environmental activists…It has been a steady stream of harassment.”
Economic Issues and Labor
With reputation and office on the line, Putin left no room for expense reductions, but instead is using innumerable resources on the Winter Olympics. In an effort to reimage itself and its capabilities, the nation is putting all chips in, as they are gambling their financial stability. Already spending approximately $50 billion, Sochi has set a record as the most expensive games in history. However, since construction has commenced, things were overlapping one another, causing a barrage of staggering odds. One instance, covered in a Times World’s article “Trouble in Sochi: Russia’s Mounting Olympic Problems” Simon Shuster highlighted the strike by the workers that took place on March 11, 2010. The workers claimed they were not properly fed, denied payment on time, subjected to harsh treatment, and unsanitary working space. The construction workers demanded better payment and halted all work, taking a toll on the financial aspect. Igor Pechorin, a 48-year-old man who left Siberia to operate a cement mixer, claimed, “I went to see a prosecutor to complain … But he just stared at me like a zombie.”
The Economist’s “Castles in the Sand” article discusses how the workforce consists of low-skilled and low-wage workers, who are paid a salary of $500 a month without training, insurance, and protection. Cases were often brought up, where workers were not paid in full or denied payment on time.
Sochi proves to be a difficult place to host a series of winter games, as its subterranean climate, location, and mountainous landscapes stand in the way. The article in The Economist has stated that the ski jump has been redone several times, due to the conditions of such a region. While the Olympics tend to have an average of a 180 percent overrun, Allison Stewart of the SAID Business School in Oxford reported in the article that Sochi’s has exceeded that number and up to 500 percent. In a CNS article “Sochi Olympics: Going for the Gold, Spending in the Red” Mark Kobareports that an opposition leader in Russia claimed that the building of the stadium will cost around $19,000 per seated fan, as compared to the previous games, which held a spending rate of $6,000.
Recent allegations also show that some of the money that has gone towards the construction has gone MIA. Boris Nemtsov, former Deputy Prime Minister, has questioned the purpose of the 20-30 billion dollars, in a report titled “Winter Olympics in the Sub-Tropics: Corruption and Abuse in Sochi.” Covered in CNN by Nic Robertson and James Masters, a hypothesis was put forward on where the money went. Titled “Sochi 2014: Do the Numbers Add Up?” Nemtsov, now an opposition leader, stated that money could have gone to “3,000 high-quality roads, housing for 800,000 people or thousands of ice palaces and soccer fields all over Russia.”
Many are afraid that Russia’s Sochi will not serve as a haven for tourism. Security backlashes and the pivotal location of the Olympics may play a role in staggering the attendance.Koba quotes Arthur Fleisher, professor of economics at Metropolitan State University of Denver, as saying, “Will people flock to the games? It is highly unlikely.”
On a spending spree that is equivalent to Burma’s Gross Domestic Product, officials fear for the worse, bringing back past failures. Illustrated by Fleisher’s saying “”You’re building these stadiums and places to go, but who goes to them after the fact? Look at Athens. Most of the facilities there are in bad condition and unused and they cost hundreds of millions to maintain.”
Security and Safety
Where there is a world-wide gathering, security has always been a priority. Though concerns have been highlighted in every major Olympics, Russia’s issue has brought forward the possibility of another Munich incident (1972 Summer Olympics Massacre).
Looking once again at the setting, Sochi shares borders with Islamic groups in the Northern Caucasus that have waged themselves in civil war for more than two decades. Stated by The Economist’s “Castles in the Sand,” Russia, at point, lost 296 lives in these regions, igniting a flame of worries and paranoia.
Recent bombings have also sparked a flame of doubt about absolute safety. Covered by Simon Shuster’s New York Times article “Is Sochi Safe Enough for the Olympics,” on May 26 of 2010, a shrapnel bomb went off near the city of Stavropol, shaking the foundations of Putin’s promise to have a safe venue for 2014. Injuring 40 and killing 7, the same theme was seen on December 2013. NPR’s “Russia Bombings Kill 31, Raise Concern on Olympics” reports that the city of Volgograd had the unfortunate events of two terrorist attacks. Killing 34 civilians, the event reflected upon the Kremlin’s inability to maintain superiority over Islamic groups that have threatened to stain the Olympics, because of the historical background of Sochi. A few weeks later, the Wall Street Journal’s Allan Cullison’s wrote an article titled “Russia Confirms Volgograd Bombers Behind Video Threat” confirming that two Islamists released a video taking credit for the attacks. They have threatened with future attacks.
As an immediate response, many had doubts about going to the Olympics and some even cancelled. According to CNN’s “How Safe is Sochi? Travelers Weigh their Options as Olympics Near,” Catherine E. Stoichet says that organizers concluded that 30 percent of the available tickets haven’t been purchased and many have cancelled their flights. Tara Lipinski, who will serve as a commentator during the sports, said “You can’t take this lightly. But at the same time, being at the Olympics, I have never experienced security that high. So hopefully that will put these athletes at ease.”
Russia’s Policy Regarding Homosexuality
Due to the thriving culture of acceptance, this issue has somehow managed to absorb the highest amount of attention. In June 2013, Vladimir Putin signed a bill banning the distribution of materials deemed “homosexual” to minors. Causing an upheaval within the Western section of the globe, many are pressuring Russia into repealing this law. In Washington Post’s “Russia Anti-gay Law Casts a Shadow over Sochi’s 2014 Olympics,” the law has been interpreted by many as a ban on Gay Pride Parades or the discussion of homosexuality between teens. Fearful of discrimination, many Olympic athletes feared arrest and an unwelcoming environment, thus, distracting the participants from their athletic duties.
In response to such fear, The United States Olympic Committee is in discussion with the International Committee over the safety of their athletes. In CBS News article “Russia’s New Anti-Gay Laws Bring Mounting Scrutiny ahead of Sochi Olympics,” Russia’s envoy to the UN in New York, faced immediate pressure when presented with a petition signed by more than 300,000 people. A letter has been published by the CEO of the United States Olympic Committee stating, “Like us, the IOC recognizes the seriousness of the issue, and they are in discussions with the Russian authorities on behalf of all nations to ascertain what the laws do and do not proscribe and how they could impact visitors to the Games.”
Meanwhile within Russia, Putin is putting emphasis on his nation’s acceptance and toleration on homosexuality itself. In the USA Today’s “Putin to Gay Visitors: Leave the Children in Peace,”Putin said that the law does not persecute gays, but acts as a prevention of such orientation on kids. In addition, Putin wants visitors to feel as comfortable as possible, all while following rules of conduct.
PART II of this article will outline the most serious reason that the 2014 Olympics should never have been held in Sochi.