Russia: Olympics: Sochi Olympics 2014: Opening Ceremony Kicks Off

Sochi Olympics - a black-sea paradise

The Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics concluded in Sochi, Russia with a vivid display of fireworks and two legendary Russian ex-Olympians lighting the cauldron.

The spectacle may not remove the problems that clouded the build-up to the tournament: political controversies, terrorism fears and concerns over the venue’s preparedness remain. The Russians so far have responded with glum defiance; others still question the morality of holding the Games at this Black Sea resort.

But that all now takes a backseat as the Games begin. Below is TIME magazine's live coverage of the glittering event.

Read more: Sochi Olympics 2014: Opening Ceremony Kicks Off | TIME.co

Russia: US State Department on Sochi: 'Remain alert' - by Jose DelReal

The State Department released a travel alert Friday ahead of the Sochi Olympics, which begin Feb. 7, cautioning travelers on a number of topics ranging from the untested medical infrastructure in Sochi to heightened concerns of terrorism in Russia.

“U.S. citizens planning to attend the Games in Sochi should remain alert regarding their personal security at all times,” the State Department advised in the statement. “U.S. citizens are urged to remain vigilant and exercise good judgment and discretion when using any form of public transportation. When traveling, U.S. citizens may wish to provide a friend, family member, or coworker a copy of their itinerary.”

In addition to issuing general travel precautions, the department also warns that the medical infrastructure in Sochi is untested on a large scale and that events such as the Olympics are “attractive targets” for terrorism. This warning follows several violent attacks in the country since October that raised questions about the overall safety of the Sochi games.

“Russian authorities have indicated that they are taking appropriate security measures in Sochi in light of this. Acts of terrorism, including bombings and hostage takings, continue to occur in Russia, particularly in the North Caucasus region,” the statement read. “There is no indication of a specific threat to U.S. institutions or citizens, but U.S. citizens should be aware of their personal surroundings and follow good security practices.”
State also cautions LGBT travelers to remain mindful of Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law, explaining that the law also applies to American citizens.

Note EU-Digest: often statements like this do more harm than good when it concerns a major sport event.

Read more: State Department on Sochi: 'Remain alert' - Jose DelReal - POLITICO.com

Russia imposes security clampdown in Sochi before Olympics

Russian forces went on combat alert in Sochi and tightened restrictions on access to the Black Sea resort on Tuesday, exactly one month before the start of the Winter Olympic Games.

Aware that the success or failure of the Sochi Games will help shape his legacy, President Vladimir Putin has increased security across Russia following two suicide bomb attacks in the southern city of Volgograd which killed 34 people.

Moscow's most wanted man, the Chechen insurgent leader Doku Umarov, has urged militants who want to carve an Islamic state in Russia's North Caucasus region to use "maximum force" to prevent the Games going ahead.

Police began to impose long-planned restrictions that will heavily curtail entry into Sochi and limit the movements of its residents, who had mixed feelings about the clampdown.

"The resort is turning into a sort of concentration camp. Naturally this will deliver a serious blow to tourism and the huge number of people at the Olympics," said Alexander Valov, a Sochi resident and blogger.

Read more: Russia imposes security clampdown in Sochi before Olympics | Reuters

Russia: Sochi 2014 torch relay to bring Moscow to a standstill

The Sochi 2014 Olympic torch relay looks set to bring sections of Moscow to a standstill when the flame starts its journey around Russia next week.

Authorities in the capital announced Thursday that at least eight central streets, boulevards and embankments would be sealed off for the first leg of the relay, which is to start on Red Square on Monday.

The Moscow leg of the record-breaking 65,000 kilometer route around the country is to last two days and involve around 300 torchbearers before heading north to St. Petersburg and then east towards Siberia.

The flame was lit from the sun's rays Sunday at a traditional ceremony in Ancient Olympia, Greece, where Russian hockey star Alexander Ovechkin was the second torchbearer after Greek skier Ioannis Antoniou. Footage of Ovechkin's run will be shown to Washington Capitals fans on the jumbo screen ahead of their NHL game against the Calgary Flames at the Verizon Center later Thursday.

The flame is currently touring 33 Greek towns and cities before being transported to Moscow on Saturday.
Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov is among the torchbearers for the first stage of the relay, which will eventually loop around the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East, down to Vladivostok and back across southern Siberia via Lake Baikal, the world’s largest freshwater lake.

On its way through more than 2,900 towns in Russia’s 83 regions, the torch will make its way back into European Russia, winding down to the Black Sea resort of Sochi for the opening ceremony on February 7, 2014.

The cauldron is to be lit by a torch that will be taken into space.

Read more: Sochi 2014 torch relay to bring Moscow to a standstill | LOCAL | The Moscow News

Russia: Sochi Olympics Most Expensive in History

One year before they kick off, the Sochi Winter Olympics have already bagged a world record. They will go down as the most expensive games in history.

The cost will top 1.5 trillion rubles ($50 billion) in state and private investment, and three-quarters of that sum has already been spent, as shown in figures released Friday by the governmental commission overseeing preparations for the games.

Since preparations began in 2008, organizers have spent 1.14 trillion rubles on sports and road infrastructure and other measures, according to documents released ahead of the first meeting of the commission chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, Prime reported.

The $50 billion price tag is more than 25 times higher than that of the last winter games, in Vancouver, Canada. The 2010 Olympics cost an estimated $1.8 billion, or $2.5 billion if calculated on the basis of generated real gross domestic product, a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers shows.
Sochi also overtakes the Beijing Summer Games of 2008, which cost $40 billion and have been rated the most expensive Olympics so far.

The cost of the Sochi games is higher than that of all previous winter Olympics combined, opposition politician Boris Nemtsov said in an interview with online television platform Politvestnik posted Friday. It was not clear whether his estimates were in real or nominal terms.

Read more: Sochi Olympics Most Expensive in History | News | The Moscow Times

2014 Winter Olympics: Russia celebrates 500 days until Sochi Games - by Max Seddon

Russia celebrated the 500-day countdown to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi on Tuesday with a series of nationwide events and the launch of a new slogan — “Hot. Cool. Yours.”

Sochi organizing committee head Dmitry Chernyshenko said infrastructure in the Black Sea resort is now 70 per cent complete and that preparations are on schedule for Russia’s first Winter Games. “Sochi will be the showcase for Russia for the world to see,” he told The Associated Press.

Across Russia, volunteers took part in 500-metre relay races mimicking all 22 Winter Olympic events.  Racers in Moscow imitated ice hockey by rollerblading and taking penalty shots on the track.

Bobsledders in the southwestern city of Novocherkassk slalomed past obstacles on longboards. More than 12,000 people in 15 cities formed giant human figures representing all Winter Olympic sports by moving coloured shields in co-ordinated displays.

Organizers introduced the new slogan, “Zharkiye. Zimniye. Tvoyi” in the original Russian.
“Hot” refers to Sochi’s climate, unusually warm for a Winter Olympic venue, and the passion for the games. “Cool” stands for the winter sports played and the cold weather commonly associated with Russia. “Yours” indicates organizers’ wish that the event be all-inclusive.

President Vladimir Putin has made the Sochi Games a cornerstone of his third term. He views it as a key project for improving Russia’s international image.

Read more: 2014 Winter Olympics: Russia celebrates 500 days until Sochi Games - thestar.com