Russia President Vladimir Putin has "relished his role as the host and
driving force behind the Sochi Winter Games as media criticism over
corruption and flawed facilities was replaced by praise from visitors
and athletes," according to Ivan Nechepurenko of the MOSCOW TIMES. Putin
has "spent the first four days of the Olympics visibly beaming over
what many see as a major win for Russia." The IOC on Tuesday "appeared to
confirm the overall success of the Games, canceling a daily meeting
held to discuss any issues that need to be tackled." IOC President
Thomas Bach in a statement said, "We are now four days into the Games
and are very satisfied with the way they are unfolding." Nechepurenko
reports Putin dismissed the "negative media reports and
criticism that foreshadowed the Games' opening as a modern-day form of
deterrence, a strategy popular during the Cold War and 'aimed at
hindering the development of the Soviet Union.'" Putin said, "Whenever
Russia demonstrates any positive development, it becomes clear that the
appearance of new strong players and rivals causes concerns in
economics, politics and security spheres. We have seen attempts to deter
Russia (from success) many times and, unfortunately, this was true with
the Olympic project." Nechepurenko notes gay rights was a cause that
activists "said warranted a boycott of the Games." But days after the
Games kicked off, "rather than being inconvenienced by such protests,
Putin was posing for photo-ops -- at one point even with an openly gay
athlete" in Dutch speedskater Ireen Wust. Wust later "proudly told
reporters that Putin had given her a hug, a fact which seemed to dispel
fears that gays would face discrimination at the Games" (MOSCOW TIMES, 2/12).
ATTENDANCE STILL A CONCERN: The GLOBE & MAIL's Mark
MacKinnon noted the "biggest lingering concerns" by Tuesday were the
balmy weather and "poorer-than-expected attendance." During the first
days of the Games, "rafts of empty seats were visible ... particularly
at less-popular events, like biathlon, slopestyle and cross-country
skiing." Concerns rose after "just 6,000 of 7,500 seats were filled for
the men’s downhill race on Sunday, traditionally one of the bigger
Winter Olympic draws." IOC Marketing Committee Chair Gerhard Heiberg
said, “There are not enough people" (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/12). SOCOG
Head of Ticketing Dmitry Perlin said ticket sales are "significantly
above our expectations." SOCOG on Tuesday announced nearly 925,000
tickets "have been sold so far" for the Games. Perlin said that 70-75%
of the tickets "have gone to Russians while Japan and Germany sold out
their quotas" (AP, 2/11). In N.Y., Gregory
White wrote the "hundreds of thousands of Russians with tickets to the
Winter Games have so far been more stoic than stoked, more Bolshoi than
Boston Garden." There is "little to rival the earthshaking 'U-S-A'
chants of big American crowds, or the deafening vuvuzela horns that
blared" during the '10 World Cup in South Africa. The Russian crowd
"occasionally chants 'Ros-see-ya,' Russian for Russia, but rarely for
more than a few beats." At some venues, they are "drowned out by smaller
groups of fans from rowdier countries, including the Dutch" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/12).
ONE REASON FOR A MUTED CROWD: Also in N.Y.,
Brian Costa noted a new Russian federal law last year "prohibited the
sale of alcohol inside sports stadiums and arenas," and a local
ordinance last month "banned alcohol sales within 50 meters of some
sports venues." The approach reflects the "unpleasant memories of
drunken, unruly fans at the last Winter Games in Vancouver." However, in
the mountain Olympic venues, which are outdoors and "not subject to
restrictions, the alcohol flows freely." Fans at the snowboard halfpipe
yesterday "drank from cans of alcoholic Baltika and cups of mulled wine"
(WSJ, 2/12).
