Dear International Olympic Committee,
What’s going on in Sochi? The Olympics are about the best athletes in the world competing against each other at an international level, yet that’s not what’s leading the headlines. Instead, worries about the city that you have chosen—and then tried to hastily build—are on the minds of a lot of people around the globe.
I’m not here to tell you that you made the wrong decision by putting the Olympics in Sochi. The Olympics are an international event, and it makes sense for this winter event to take place in a part of the world with epic snow and beautiful mountains, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t think things were looking a little iffy going in.
The Olympics are always a unique situation. This is a worldwide event that takes place once every four years. There are a ton of people that descend on a small area. Athletes have a lot of pressure on them. Media flocks from every corner of the world. Obviously there is a lot to worry about. The last thing people should have to worry about is the city that this all takes place in. So IOC, what’s going on here?
The city isn’t finished. Horror stories abound of hotels lacking even the most basic of amenities, and WiFi connectivity, which is a basic amenity to the reporters attempting to cover the games. Foreign journalists covering the games have also reported their accounts being immediately hacked upon entering the country, which may be explained away as a necessary security measure but is not what one would hope to see when the global community is coming together to celebrate humanity through athletic competition.
Security is a number one priority of the Olympics, and it is in the forefront in Sochi. Security details have been increased, and the protocols they are following have been made more strict. Part of the reason security has needed this increase is due to rumors of terrorist threats that have spread the last few weeks. Questions about the credibility of these threats have been brought up, but it has resulted in heightened awareness nonetheless.
Look people. How sad is this? How sad is it that one of the brighter moments in the WORLD, is darkened by all of these negatives? Why should anyone have to worry about something happening to them when they are going to compete in an international sporting event? Sochi is getting a lot of heat for this, but I’m not talking about Sochi here. I’m talking about the world. This happens every time the Olympics come around. Security was a major issue two years ago in London. After 9/11 huge security questions came up before the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. There may be a lot of problems with this city, and Russia as a whole—especially on the human rights side of things. Don’t get me wrong, that is a problem. But there are ways to make statements about the human rights issues, like sending gay representatives to Sochi in defiance of their controversial laws on homosexuals.
Even with these problems, why can’t the number one issue of the Olympics be whether or not Shaun White is going to get another gold medal instead of whether or not all our athletes and media members are going to have to worry about security?
These Olympics are going to be fun to watch, like they always are. Sochi will work, in spite of all these ridiculous things that are going on in Russia. All I’m asking for is to not ruin one of the most globally recognized events our world has. The world comes together for the Olympics. Don’t make anyone regret that.
Sincerely,
Alex Moore
Vanguard Sports desk
