Very little time is left before the long-awaited start of the Sochi Winter Olympics. This ambitious project causes a lot of the most controversial moods in society. Millions of funds have been spent on the preparation of the Games, and the fate of expensive facilities, the level of security and the quality of buildings excites many.
Today we offer an unusual Top 10, which included the most high-profile scandals surrounding the Sochi Olympics.
10. Olympic Art Exposition in Perm
In June 2014, at the festival "White Nights in Perm", an art exhibition on the theme of the 2014 Olympics was presented, made in the spirit of political satire. The paintings presented to the audience, shocked the officials, and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation requested explanations from the Perm authorities.
9. The documentary "Putin’s Games"
The painting by Alexander Gentelev talks about corruption in the construction of Olympic facilities. The creators of the picture said that from the Russian authorities there was a proposal to redeem the tape for 600,000 pounds. The film became a member of the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.
8. Boycott of the Olympics by top officials of European countries
German President Joachim Gauck has already announced that he will not attend the Games in Sochi. Also, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and French President Francois Hollande will not go to Sochi.
7. The budget of the Olympics, which has grown 5 times
Six years ago, no one even imagined how much the Olympic venues would ultimately cost. Over the years of construction, the budget of the Games has increased 5 times and amounted to about 1.5 trillion rubles (37.5 billion euros).
6. Recommendations of the American Ministry of Health when visiting the Olympics
The published recommendations of the Center for the Prevention of Diseases in the United States caused considerable excitement. Among the recommendations for future guests of the Olympics are:
- bring more warm clothes with you;
- be careful when crossing the street - Russian drivers do not give way;
- wash your hands more often;
- get hepatitis A.
5. Boycott of the Olympics by representatives of sexual minorities
Due to the "anti-Gay" law adopted in 2013, the Russians listened to many reproaches. It was the oppression of sexual minorities that President Hollande explained his refusal to come to Sochi, and singer Cher refused to speak at the opening ceremony of the Games because of the law.
4. Theft of Olympic money
In the first half of last year alone, the prosecutor's office initiated the initiation of 11 cases on the facts of attacks on 170 million rubles allocated for the construction of facilities in Sochi. However, not one of them has yet been brought to trial.
3. Report by Boris Nemtsov “Winter Olympics in the subtropics”
The revealing article notes such facts as a four-time change of leadership of the Olympstroy Group of Companies, poor choice of a place for the Games, and environmental damage to the region. We also mention the fact that 96% of the costs incurred due to state investments did not succeed in attracting private investors to the Olympic construction site.
2. Problems with the Olympic torch
The long-suffering Olympic flame has been extinguished 70 times during its relay race. The loudest scandal was associated with the ceremony on Red Square, when the torch was lit by a new FSB officer. Then the Olympic flame nearly burned the beard of Santa Claus in Veliky Ustyug, and in Samara they extinguished the fire with a blanket.
1. The delay in wages to builders in Sochi
Scandals with delays in payments to Olympic construction workers arise with enviable regularity. According to ordinary workers, they do not pay salaries for 6 months, while they feed people expired products, and they have to live in the absence of basic amenities. As a rule, payments are made only after the intervention of the General Prosecutor's Office. According to media reports, to date, 7 contracting organizations at the Olympic construction site owed salaries in the amount of 277 million rubles.
