The Winter Olympics are set to begin on February 7 in Sochi, Russia, for the twenty-second Winter Olympics. As countries prepare to send their finest athletes to the universal stage, those in Sochi anxiously await their arrival. Sochi, a city with about 350,000 people, is located in the frigid south of Russia. The beauty and geography of the country is an excitement as it is the first ever Olympic Games that Russia is hosting.
In order to make the event the best it can be, Russia has spared no expense. They have spent an estimated $51 billion so far, making it the most expensive Olympic Games yet. The government has made improvements to everything, including the addition of all of the Olympic stadiums, as well as the installment of new highways and roads, providing alternate routes around various “eyesores” in Russia, as written by Nataliya Vasilyeva of ABC News.
With several threats of terrorism, there has been a question of safety during the games. The country has garnered support from several countries including the United States. There will be approximately 100,000 personnel on hand to ensure the safety of those around. Equipment will also be used to provide the highest technological insurance of protection for the citizens and foreign visitors. These tools include six antimissile systems and drones put around the Olympic Stadiums and in the city in general.
In addition to the threats of terrorism, there are concerns involving the laws against homosexuality in Russia that have recently been put into place. At first this law seemed to be uninviting to various gay athletes and visitors; however, President Vladimir Putin made clear that this wouldn’t be an issue if those people “leave kids alone” as stated by Putin in an article by Kathy Lally of the Washington Post.
Though controversy surrounds the Olympics as the opening ceremonies approach, excitement of the athletes and spectators is undoubtedly present. Russia ensures that the people attending and competing will be safe and secure during the two weeks of the Games. With the chaos supposedly being quelled in and around Sochi, all countries look forward to their chance to compete at the historic 2014 Olympic Games.