# Forum About Russia Sports and Olympics  Sochi 2014 - Olympic Winter Games (official site)

## MasterAdmin

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games are about to start in Canada... and there's still a lot of time left till the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In the meantime, you can watch the countdown (1515 days as of time of writing this post) and read updates from the official website.  Sochi 2014 - official site in English Sochi 2014 - official site in Russian

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## capecoddah

I asked 4 years ago about the Winter Olympics and it was a failing thread. viewtopic.php?f=23&t=8217&hilit=olympics 
I asked about Winter Sports and got the same indifference. 
I like some sports because the athletes are far beyond my skills: Skiing, hockey, speed skating
I like some because they are insane: Bobsled, luge, skeleton, ski jumping 
Good luck Master Admin. (far beyond my skills AND insane)
You get a gold!   ::  <---- Master Russian flag being waved

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## MasterAdmin

You should ask about soccer. Many Russians love playing and watching soccer.

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## capecoddah

I brought "my kids" to a local pro soccer (foooootbal) game a few years ago. It sucked so bad I fell asleep. I teach "my kids" baseball and they say the  Russian  equivalent of "WTF" at first.  
It's NOT easy, but they understand the game by the  time they go home and a couple can hit pretty well. I've brought them to Cape Cod Baseball League games, and some to Boston Red Sox games. Some of the biggest smiles I have ever seen. One girl went to tears "It's so green!". 
 Late summer/early fall is American Football. I only get a couple weeks to teach them the basics, but the guys seem to like it. 
I still have the ultimate respect for woman's Biathlon.

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## capecoddah

OK, 4 years to Sochi Olympics...  
I thought the Vancouver Olympics were pretty good with the obvious exception of the Georgian luger's death. 
The television coverage wasn't very good here, time delays, compressed for 'prime-time' and too much other garbage.  
The final hockey game was one for the ages though. Best game I've seen in years. 
I hope Sochi turns out well. I also hope the current Russian Olympic team doesn't end up in a closed city in Siberia too (I've been reading the news).

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## Лизонька

I'm looking forward to seeing the Sochi 2014 Olympic games!  It looks very beautiful there.  
Now if only I could think of a way to get there by then...   ::

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## rockzmom

> OK, 4 years to Sochi Olympics... 
> I thought the Vancouver Olympics were pretty good... The television coverage wasn't very good here...

 Yeah, but from that TV coverage, I learned how to CORRECTLY pronounce Sochi!!!   ::

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## Ramil

> I hope Sochi turns out well. I also hope the current Russian Olympic team doesn't end up in a closed city in Siberia too (I've been reading the news).

 Not the team itself, but some officials from the Ministry of Sport have submitted resignation (they were gently hinted to do so).

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## mishau_

> Not the team itself, but some officials from the Ministry of Sport have submitted resignation (they were gently hinted to do so).

 Пойдут на повышение. А вместо них, еще каких-нибудь однокурсников назначат.

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## capecoddah

Disabled Athletes Show Up Olympics Team 
"As Russia recovers from its worst-ever Winter Olympics, it's getting a welcome boost from unlikely quarters. 
Five days into the Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver, Russia's team has already left its rivals — and the Russian Olympic team — in the dust with six gold medals, six silvers and three bronzes."

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## Eledhwen

By the way. Tickets on opening ceremony were sold out instantly. Three with half hours, and there is nothing.

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## Eledhwen

Found a video: “Sochi 2014 — “One Year To Go” Ceremony”. ...Wow! Perfect answer even to China. Enjoy. ))

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## Lampada

Василий Слонов* WELCOME TO SOCHI 2014*

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## Eledhwen

Он сильно переступил ту грань, где пиарщика начинают называть громкими и непереводимыми словами из национального жаргона.

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## UhOhXplode

I can't wait to see what the Russians do to the Canadian hockey team!  ::  I'll be watching all the games, well, except figure skating.

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## capecoddah

Has anyone seen the Olympic Torch?
My friend in Ryazan saw it. Some photos from a phone that aren't very good. She said it was very exciting to see. 
E-mail:
Hi ****!
The  Olympic fire was in Ryazan today . Traffic was stopped. Along the road  there were people , a lot of students , schoolchildren, the police keep  order to prevent terrorist attack as in Boston for the marathon .  I  photographed them from the balcony on our street Mervinskaya when  I came home for lunch . Then I went to the court, took one case, and  then we all went out into the street, stood waiting . The weather is  very nice , sunny and warm day , although the morning freez . Then  special cars of sponsors approached: advertising Coca -Cola, money bank, then we saw a man with a torch , the torch was lit. Then the girl with a new torch approached  , the man lit her fire and put out his , and she ran on. Behind them  rode the bus around which the men fled from the СОБР=SOBR - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, more ambulances , fire machines, police. We went to the work. 
I will host the images if more than 1 person wants to see them. 
I received bad new from my job search. I will not be going to Sochi to work in a hotel. Hospitality Skills 95%, Language Skills test killed me. Stupid Brit spelling, _Québécois French_ and Cuban Spanish.  
One of my Russian "Kids" will be working in Sochi! I sent $16 dollars to her so she can send postcards. She is a very smart young lady. She speaks Russian, English, German and learned some Brazilian Portuguese from the other maids. I gave her a good recommendation.

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## DrBaldhead

Who didn't see that torch? It was a huge speculation about it on the Russian TV, that it was developed by a rocket science institute (literally), and it is almost impossible to take its fire out. Although it happened to be actually quite possible, it's very impressive that the torch was taken to so many Russian cities, the bottom of the lake of Baikal (the deepest lake in the world), the North Pole and even the outer space. Needless to say, it is quite a promotion  ::  
Soon it will come to Samara, the city I currently reside in and I'm definitely going to see it live.

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## DrBaldhead

> Soon it will come to Samara, the city I currently reside in and I'm definitely going to see it live.

 Today the main Olympic Fire has merged with the Olympic Fire of Samara and continued its journey to Sochi. And by sheer luck, I've witnessed it.

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## capecoddah

And the Olympics are open! 
Coverage in USA sucks. NBC has a soap opera on. NBC Sports has bass fishing. Opening Ceremonies via computer.  Watch Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony - Winter Olympics Sochi 2014 Live Stream Online

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## DrBaldhead

> NBC has a soap opera on. NBC Sports has bass fishing

 The question might be a bit naive, but weren't there any other channels? 
The opening ceremony was EPIC, especially the historical scenes. And that stadium sized 3D display is the device I'd love play some Mortal Kombat on  ::   *UPDATE:*  Now I know - NBC has exclusive rights of airing the games within the US.

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## lorente

The opening ceremony was very beautiful, but the idea to show the  alphabet history was some strange I think)

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## Paul G.

> Coverage in USA sucks. NBC has a soap opera on. NBC Sports has bass fishing. Opening Ceremonies via computer.

 Let me congratulate Americans on the first Olympic gold medal (although, considering behavior of the US media you don't deserve this).

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## edvalais

это было круто! Браво, россияне! ::

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## edvalais

Great men's downhill today. I loved the overhead camera shots. Well done, Mayer!

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## Throbert McGee

Twitter collections of humorous photos showing various (alleged!) problems in Sochi -- for example, apartments and hotel rooms in the Olympic Village that are STILL under construction, urinals not yet connected to the water and sewage lines, and the now-famous "twin toilets".  https://twitter.com/SochiFails https://twitter.com/SochiProblems 
True, a few of the photos are obvious fakes by people poking fun at "backwards Russia"... and some photos that may have been taken somewhere else in Russia, not in Sochi... and some that aren't evidence of EPIC FAIL by the Russian organizers, but simply show certain realities that Western visitors aren't used to, like the sad problem of homeless dogs. 
I did laugh at this one, however:

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## edvalais

I'm more interested in the state of the snow for the events. The piste for today's cross-country sprint was awful and there were some terrible falls. I'm worried that all the construction work (including the removal of vast swathes of trees) has affected the "micro-climate" so that the ski area is too warm... 
I'd really like to ski there but on tv here (in Switzerland) all the presenters are complaining about the crazy prices - e.g. ten dollars for a coke. Until I become an oligarch I think I'd better steer clear...

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## Crocodile

> [...] ten dollars for a coke. Until I become an oligarch I think I'd better steer clear...

 Allegedly, there's free beer for Canadians in Sochi, eh?

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## capecoddah

Belorussian Women's Biathlon! 
I forgot the word "Belorussian" in a previous post. I _almost_ called a Gold!
One of my Summer Kids is related to a team member.  
I am sorry I don't have a flag from Belarus. 
My Kids. ::

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## edvalais

If anyone wants to give me the official Russian Olympics gear (shapki, kurtki i t.d.) I won't say no. 
I wonder if there's some deep psychological significance in routinely detecting homosexual associations in images. Maybe this says more about the observer than the thing looked at. I advise several forumchane to take a Rorschach test as a matter of urgency. 
(Кстати, Паша, ты спер мое слово!)

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## Lampada

Off-topic posts have been moved to Off-topic posts from http://masterrussian.net/f55/sochi-2014-olympic-winter-games-off

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## edvalais

My prediction for the slalom: 
1. Neureuther
2. Hirscher
3. Matt 
If I'm right, I expect a very big beer as a reward.

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## edvalais

> My prediction for the slalom: 
> 1. Neureuther
> 2. Hirscher
> 3. Matt 
> If I'm right, I expect a very big beer as a reward.

 In the immortal words of Meat Loaf, two out of three ain't bad!

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## DrBaldhead



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## edvalais

All-in-all, I thought the Olympics were great. I liked the joke in the closing ceremony where the fifth ring didn't open for a while. Who said the russkies don't have a sense of humour (joke)? 
But was it worth $50bn?????

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## Ramil

> But was it worth $50bn?????

 Ok, let's see:
2 new automobile roads that will last for another ten years at least (including 35 tunnels and bridges)
1 railroad line
2 gas pipelines
1 power plant + 17  substations to provide energy
43 hotels (20K+ guests) 
1 Stadium
1 Skiing center
1 Skating center 
Well, it's a total waste of money! 
Now, about these $50bn. The real figure is only about $6bn (I mean the money spent directly on the Olympics, not the infrastructure that will last for the next few decades).

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## edvalais

I'm sure that there are a number of Russians who are exceedingly pleased that the Olympics took place - and now much much richer. The Russian Forbes article on the road built between Sochi and the ski area was very entertaining... 
Would I want to ski there? Yes, but only if someone else was paying.

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## Paul G.

edvalais, 
Because of corruption the EU lose 120 bil. every year. It's not a doubtful article in Forbes (I can't get it seriously after the anti-Russian orgy in the western media), it's official information. Of course, those guys who get this 120 bil. every year are very happy, too.

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## maxmixiv

> But was it worth $50bn?????

 Of course not. It was just an ambition of one person. Anyway, money spent wouldn't be directed to good purposes, it's just the way it is in Russia.

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## edvalais

> edvalais, 
> Because of corruption the EU lose 120 bil. every year. It's not a doubtful article in Forbes (I can't get it seriously after the anti-Russian orgy in the western media), it's official information. Of course, those guys who get this 120 bil. every year are very happy, too.

 Sure, corruption isn't a Russian disease - look at Vinci's role in the Moscow - St P road. 
I hope you sense, Pasha, that I admire and respect Russia and her culture. I'm PRO-Russia. But when I see photos of the imperial villa in Gelendzhik which some claim belongs to Putin, or I see him wearing fabulously expensive Swiss watches (not air-brushed out like Kirill's), or I read descriptions of Yakunin's luxury villa outside Moscow, I worry about where Russia is heading. Nevertheless I managed to laugh when Navalny (talking about Yakunin) cited Saltykov-Shchedrin: "Во всех странах железные дороги для передвижения служат, а у нас, сверх того, и для воровства."  
I'm sure this also goes for the rail-link between Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana.  
люблю вашу отчизну я, но странною любовью...

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## maxmixiv

> But when I see photos of the imperial villa in Gelendzhik

 А в Швейцарии зато десятиминутная поездка в общественном транспорте стоит столько, что омский пенсионер за эти же деньги может кататься целый месяц, не вылезая из автобуса.  ::

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## edvalais

> А в Швейцарии зато десятиминутная поездка в общественном транспорте стоит столько, что омский пенсионер за эти же деньги может кататься целый месяц, не вылезая из автобуса.

 In the nearest town to where I live (I live on top of a mountain), you can use public transport for 90 minutes for 1.5 Swiss francs (60 roubles, in the UK it's free for pensioners). If you're saying a Russian pensioner can travel for a month on this, then this makes the несусветные деньги spent on Sochi seem all the more astronomical. 
Another question: who here does NOT believe that corruption played no part in Sochi winning the Olympic bid (or Russian winning the bid for the football world cup)?

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## Ramil

What's new about corruption at Olympics bid?  BBC News | World | Timeline: Olympics corruption scandal Corruption and the Olympics 
I can go on. It appears that EVERY bid the MOC ever held throughout history was corrupt, so what?

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## edvalais

> What's new about corruption at Olympics bid?  BBC News | World | Timeline: Olympics corruption scandal Corruption and the Olympics 
> I can go on. It appears that EVERY bid the MOC ever held throughout history was corrupt, so what?

 I'm not referring to pseudo-corruption, as outlined in the link you gave, but unequivocal, direct bribes. I personally believe that this is how Russian won the Olympic bid. 
Incidentally, it's interesting that you directed me to the Transparency International link. Of course, in Russia TI has to designate itself a "Foreign Agent". Why is this? It was Putin's response to the US Magnitsky Bill - and we all know the profound cesspit of corruption and violence that forms the basis for the Magnitsky tragedy. 
Russia is a great country. In my view, its people deserve better. I'm not convinced that the money spent on the Olympics (and the associated vast levels of bribes) could not have been more sensibly used. However, as I said before, I think the games went pretty well and I'm pleased that they've put Sochi on the map.

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## Ramil

> I'm not referring to pseudo-corruption, as outlined in the link you gave, but *unequivocal*, direct bribes. *I personally believe* that this is how Russian won the Olympic bid.

 The words 'unequivocal' and 'personally believe' don't sound quite right in the same sentence. So, in case of some other Olympics games the accusations in bribery of the MOC are 'pseudo-corruption', but simply because you 'personally believe' in something makes Russia 'unequivocally' guilty. Okay     

> Incidentally, it's interesting that you directed me to the Transparency International link. Of course, in Russia TI has to designate itself a "Foreign Agent". Why is this?

 What? Is it not true? Has Transparency International moved its HQ to Russia when I wasn't looking? 
Seriously though, TI is NOT a foreign agent. It's a foreign organization. But when TI establishes in Russia something called 'Русская национальная правдивая организация' (Russian national truthful organization) for example AND ALSO this organization goes straight into the Russian politics then and only then this organization must add 'A Foreign agent' prefix to its name so that people would know that it's not in fact Russian and not in fact national. What concerns 'truthful' part - that's up to people do decide. What's wrong with this concept? I think, people are ought to know who are they listening to. Such 'agents' are not even forbidden to do politics here. They simply have to wear that 'agent' sign.   

> It was Putin's response to the US Magnitsky Bill - and we all know the profound cesspit of corruption and violence that forms the basis for the Magnitsky tragedy

 Sergey Magnitsky's death is probably a tragedy, but such things happen. People die due to lack of medical attention (ok, even because the officials who were responsible for his continued good health in prison were corrupt). Such tragedies happen now and then around the globe but the whole matter was blown out of proportions. What I know is a) Magnitsky himself was not so 'innocent' as he's depicted in the Western media; b) Mr. William Felix Browder who was up to his ears in corrupt schemes with several high-ranked officials lost a great deal of money. It was then and only then, when Magnitsky was ordered to start throwing shit into the fan about 'thievery', etc. The problem was simple - Browder underestimated his Russian partners. He thought they were civilized enough to start throwing the shit back at him in the court, but they chose a more direct approach - no man = no problem. Personally, I believe that it was Browder who set up Magnitsky; and c) nobody would care about Magnitsky's death if Browder hadn't existed.

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## edvalais

I'm simply stating that, in my opinion, Russia secured the Olympic games by bribes. Can I prove it? No, but it is my belief. If you were to ban these type of statements on internet forums, there would be little discourse. 
I referred to the Magnitsky case to highlight the level of corruption in Russia. You yourself refer to the corruption surrounding this sad figure. In this regard, we appear to agree.  
What is Putin's official salary? I think it's about $190,000. How does he afford the watches he wears. In your opinion, is there any link between him and the palace in Gelendzhik? If there is, how on earth does he afford it? 
The "Foreign Agent" law was just a childish reaction to the Magntisky Bill. Idem - the law banning American couples from adopting Russian children. This was spiteful and actually unkind. Some of these couples wanted to adopt handicapped children, who will now have to endure the horrors of a Russian orphanage. Why didn't Putin spend the $50bn on building more children's homes?

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## Ramil

> it is my belief

 Understood. Would you also believe if I tell you that every Olympic bid winner paid bribes to the MOC? No? I thought so, because we only believe in what we want to believe.   

> I referred to the Magnitsky case to highlight the level of corruption in Russia. You yourself refer to the corruption surrounding this sad figure. In this regard, we appear to agree.

 You know what? Corruption costs European economy 120 billion euros a year | Reuters
Corruption exists everywhere, and it's not like only Russia has this disease. Of course, I agree because I've never ever heard of a honest politician or a government official in any country.   

> What is Putin's official salary? I think it's about $190,000. How does he afford the watches he wears. In your opinion, is there any link between him and the palace in Gelendzhik? If there is, how on earth does he afford it?

 The watch, yes. You know what? I think the president of Russia should wear expensive watch and go by the best limo one can find. We're not Zimbabwe or Ivory Coast, and if our president has a nice gold watch - I'm glad for him.  ::  No, really. Am I envious? No! No way I would trade places with him. So let this watch be, because I'm having much more fun in my life than he is. 
As for the rest (I heard his personal wealth amounts up to $43 bn making him the richest man in the world) - let people believe in what they want to believe.   

> The "Foreign Agent" law was just a childish reaction to the Magntisky Bill.

 A good and timely reaction nevertheless. I fully approve.   

> Idem - the law banning American couples from adopting Russian children. This was spiteful and actually unkind. Some of these couples wanted to adopt handicapped children, who will now have to endure the *horrors of a Russian orphanage*. Why didn't Putin spend the $50bn on building more children's homes?

 Such rhetorics reminds me of Sharikov (a character from M. Bulgakov's 'The heart of a dog'). He also suggested that everything should be expropriated and divided equally. Russia is a rich country and we have money for both Olympics AND orphan houses (in fact, this laws that prohibited adoptions to foreigners has drawn the media attention to the orphanage problem in Russia and the statistics of domestic adoptions has improved greatly). 
'endure the Horrors of a Russian orphanage' - that's nice. Heard it somewhere or invented yourself? BBC perhaps... or was it NY Times? 
An orphan house from Russian hell:

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## DrBaldhead

> I'm simply stating that, in my opinion, Russia secured the Olympic games by bribes. Can I prove it? No, but it is my belief. If you were to ban these type of statements on internet forums, there would be little discourse.

 So what? Even if we got this by bribing, who is to judge? It is my belief that it is the typical funding source for the Olympic Committee as an organisation.   

> What is Putin's official salary? I think it's about $190,000. How does he afford the watches he wears. In your opinion, is there any link between him and the palace in Gelendzhik? If there is, how on earth does he afford it?

 Because he is Batman. And as a Batman he provides us with a great mystery about when he actually sleeps. Because it seems like he never does.    

> The "Foreign Agent" law was just a childish reaction to the Magntisky Bill. Idem - the law banning American couples from adopting Russian children. This was spiteful and actually unkind. Some of these couples wanted to adopt handicapped children, who will now have to endure the horrors of a Russian orphanage. Why didn't Putin spend the $50bn on building more children's homes?

 Is American FARA law adult enough?
Also we will no longer give our kids away to the parents we can't charge for a crime against them.

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## edvalais

I've noticed that there is essentially a "soviet" attitude to criticism of Russia on this site. Critics are accused of being informed by the biased western media. The absurd "Foreign Agent" tag is symptomatic of this paranoia. It shows that some in Russia still have a foot in the past. This is a shame because you can't move forward properly like this. 
In fact, I get most of my information about Russia from the Russian media and from meeting Russians.  
I invite you to ask yourselves this question: if the Magnitsky scandal had never happened, if there had been no Magnitsky Law in the US, would Russia have still banned Americans from adopting Russian children? In my view, no. The ban was a direct riposte to the Americans - it was cold-war "tit-for-tat". It logically follows from this that the motive for passing a new Russian law which directly affects (and in my opinion, negatively affects) the lives of thousands of Russian children has nothing to do with childcare or improving their prospects: it was passed solely because a country far away passed a law which itself had nothing to do with childcare. This is irresponsible and very very sad, because the only real victims in this are the Russian orphans.

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## Ramil

> In fact, I get most of my information about Russia from the Russian media and from meeting Russians.

 Russian media is also biased. But that's beside the point. I don't even care how or why this law about 'foreign agents' was effected. To my personal opinion this blocks the outside propaganda messages and if it works - fine. What IS propaganda? It's an appeal to emotions of not very bright people. Thinking and smart people will see through the propaganda and know its value, but we have stupid people here too. When they are said 'This HONESTY, Inc Ogranization's experts proven that Russian government is very-very bad' - well that's one message. And another one 'This Foreitn Agent 'Honesty, Inc' Organization's experts proven ...." - that's quite another one. 
I insist that the Russian government should have the only and monopolized right of brainwashing its own population. No one else should be allowed. (I'm not joking, I'm dead serious)  ::     

> I invite you to ask yourselves this question: if the Magnitsky scandal had never happened, if there had been no Magnitsky Law in the US, would Russia have still banned Americans from adopting Russian children? In my view, no. The ban was a direct riposte to the Americans - it was cold-war "tit-for-tat". It logically follows from this that the motive for passing a new Russian law which directly affects (and in my opinion, negatively affects) the lives of thousands of Russian children has nothing to do with childcare or improving their prospects: it was passed solely because a country far away passed a law which itself had nothing to do with childcare. This is irresponsible and very very sad, because the only real victims in this are the Russian orphans.

 That's one point of view. The ban was a direct riposte to the Americans indeed, so what? You sound as if there was something bad in it.
As for the 'horrors of a Russian orphanage' - that's still remains questionable is it so hellish being an orphan in Russia and is it so good being an adopted by a couple of foreigners.
And again, even if this was not intended, the number of domestic adoptions has increased since the ban. That's good.

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## edvalais

> The ban was a direct riposte to the Americans indeed, so what? You sound as if there was something bad in it.

 Yes, there is "something bad in it". If a parliament passes a law which affects orphans, I'd like to think that the primary motive is to improve their lives. The only motive here was symbolic - to attack a very small group of Americans. It is an indication of the type of people who sit in the Duma that they were quite prepared to use Russian orphans - some of them handicapped - as pawns in their silly game.  
Getting back to the Olympics, I wonder what the long-term impact will be? What perception will remain of your country? Here in Switzerland it has very much focused people's minds on the central role played by Putin. The night before the opening ceremony there was a documentary on Swiss television which discussed his supposedly vast fortune. For many of the Swiss I speak to, Putin and Russia are synonymous. If, as some people claim, Putin is corrupt, what does that say about the country he runs? The answer I get on this site from Russians is a shrug of the shoulders: "So what? What if billions of dollars have been wasted in bribes on the Olympics? What if handicapped Russian orphans have to stay in the orphanage? мне наплевать!"

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## Ramil

I'll start from the end of your message:  

> What if handicapped Russian orphans have to stay in the orphanage? мне наплевать!

 More or less that's true, I don't give a @#$! about starving children in Africa, dying wild nature and other terrible things. Well, when I hear somebody tells me about it I'll agree 'How awful! What a shame! Tsk, tsk, tsk..." but that's about all I would do. I found out that many people in the world try to look like they do care (you, for example - how exactly corrupted Putin poisons your existence?)    

> Yes, there is "something bad in it". If a parliament passes a law which affects orphans, I'd like to think that the primary motive is to improve their lives. The only motive here was symbolic - to attack a very small group of Americans. It is an indication of the type of people who sit in the Duma that they were quite prepared to use Russian orphans - some of them handicapped - as pawns in their silly game.

 Well... First, the law about orphans should have been passed long ago (that's my opinion). Second, if the Duma found it convenient to pass this law AND to attack some group of Americans - I don't care either. Third, and the most important: there is a common misconception about Putin's being an absolute monarch here. That's not true. Despite his seemingly authoritarian style of government, quite often the domestic affairs are decided (much to my disappointment) not by him but by the government officials and the Duma. Generally, our Duma is not overly bright and sometimes passes laws that are either not going to work or simply self-contradictory. Russia is NOT Putin and Putin is NOT Russia. Relax.   

> Getting back to the Olympics, I wonder what the long-term impact will be? What perception will remain of your country?

 Oh, they will soon forget about the Olympics. I'm sure Putin will do something more terrible to talk about.   

> Here in Switzerland it has very much focused people's minds on the central role played by Putin. The night before the opening ceremony there was a documentary on Swiss television which discussed his supposedly vast fortune. For many of the Swiss I speak to, Putin and Russia are synonymous.

 What? The Swiss do care about Russia? They saw one 40 min. biased documentary and dare to judge? Come on! That reaction is the same as mine (tsk, tsk, tsk). People DO NOT care about anything outside their house/street/town/country.   

> What if billions of dollars have been wasted in bribes on the Olympics?

 I watched a documentary stating that many of the IOC officials in the past were former Nazis. I read in a newspaper that the bribes at the Olympic bid of 1988 were as astronomical as they supposedly were in Sochi. Same with Nogano, Albertville, Salt Lake city, etc. 
Besides, let's speak about facts. We don't know how big were the bribes, we don't even know if they were actually paid. We know that the Russian government has spent about 50 billion dollars during the last 7 years to prepare the site for the Olympics. They didn't include the bribes in the budget or did they? And what YOUR interest in those amounts? Envious that you're not the member of the IOC?

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## DrBaldhead

> I've noticed that there is essentially a "soviet" attitude to criticism of Russia on this site. Critics are accused of being informed by the biased western media. The absurd "Foreign Agent" tag is symptomatic of this paranoia. It shows that some in Russia still have a foot in the past. This is a shame because you can't move forward properly like this.

 We all have a foot in the past, because history is inseparable. Actually I also have question: what do you put into the meaning of the word "Soviet"? 
Because today it can have many meanings to many people. To some people it may mean dark past that should be forsaken, to some other people it may mean nostalgia, and to some it may mean neither of it but a legacy they have the right to claim and not be hesitant of it.  

> I invite you to ask yourselves this question: if the Magnitsky scandal had never happened, if there had been no Magnitsky Law in the US, would Russia have still banned Americans from adopting Russian children?

 In my humble opinion it would be done sooner or later. Scandals about Russian orphans being abused by their American adopters had begun long before Magnitsky Law was issued. The latter happened to serve a reason to even out American reaction to Dima Yakovlev Law. The thing I dislike about that is that both these laws gear the names of of two dead people who personally had nothing to do with that.
One more thing, we didn't only ban foreign adoptions but also copied the option to ban certain American officials.

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## edvalais

> I don't give a @#$! about starving children in Africa, dying wild nature and other terrible things.

 Let's be positive: what DO you give a @#$! about? Money? Sex? Having the latest iPhone?

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## edvalais

> One more thing, we didn't only ban foreign adoptions but also copied the option to ban certain American officials.

 Again, another purely symbolic gesture. The American officials will just shake their heads and smile - whereas the Russian chinovniki/judges/police/politicians etc who stole enormous sums of money via the "Magnitsky" fraud and hid it away in the States, in bank accounts and property near to where their children study, will no longer have access to all of that. THAT is why they were so furious at the Magnitsky Law.

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## Ramil

> Let's be positive: what DO you give a @#$! about? Money? Sex? Having the latest iPhone?

 Let's say the continued well being of me and my family.

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## edvalais

> Let's say the continued well being of me and my family.

 So you don't quite perform the full Russian striptease - you leave _something_ on...  ::

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## Crocodile

> Again, another purely symbolic gesture. The American officials will just shake their heads and smile - whereas the Russian chinovniki/judges/police/politicians etc who stole enormous sums of money via the "Magnitsky" fraud and hid it away in the States, in bank accounts and property near to where their children study, will no longer have access to all of that. THAT is why they were so furious at the Magnitsky Law.

 I agree. Also, we've all seen Yanukovich's retinue quietly disappeared on its own in an hour after the "asset freezed and visa bans" were declared to be introduced by the EU.  ::

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## maxmixiv

It is sad, but in ex-USSR states the richest people are not businessmen, sportsmen or actors: they are politicians. The president MUST be very rich, and the governors MUST be quite rich (i.e. control many businesses directly). Otherwise, how would they rule? 
And you are right,  edvalais, many ugly things are considered "normal" among some Russians. We are cynics now. 
It seems, that the only deadly insult to the "average Russian" is the hint that some "foreigners" are going to teach us.

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## Hanna

> Russia is a great country. In my view, its people deserve better. I'm not convinced that the money spent on the Olympics (and the associated vast levels of bribes) could not have been more sensibly used. However, as I said before, I think the games went pretty well and I'm pleased that they've put Sochi on the map.

 I agree with this. Olympics is pretty corrupt to begin with... 
Apparently there were quite a few people, including RF citizens who would have loved to do serious damage to the games. I am glad they didn't succeed. I didn't really watch it, but it seems nothing went seriously wrong apart from that missing ring in the Olympic logo.  
And yes, I think Russians need to get rid of corruption. Hard handedly if needed. Anyone who is found to take a bribe and his boss - get sent to a remote corner of Siberia, for mandatory 6 months anti-corruption training! And double it if they re-offend. 
Nobody will take Russia seriously if the businessmen are one step up from a mafioso or white-collar thief, and all politicians can be bought.  
And Switzerland really is a working example of democracy, I think - with the referendums. 
I don't think most countries dare to have referendums though - they can't handle all that democracy...  Or they only have them when they are certain what the outcome will be - such as the Scotland referendum.

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## edvalais

Алексей Навальный о том, сколько стоила на самом деле Олимпиада в Сочи | 
By an incredible coincidence, now that the games are over, Navalny has been put under house arrest...

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## maxmixiv

Not coincidence. Obviously, he had been watching Olympics and had no time for revolutionary struggle.  ::

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## edvalais

> Not coincidence. Obviously, he had been watching Olympics and had no time for revolutionary struggle.

 True. I hear Alyesha is a big fan of women's curling.

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## edvalais

> 'endure the Horrors of a Russian orphanage' - that's nice. Heard it somewhere or invented yourself? BBC perhaps... or was it NY Times? 
> An orphan house from Russian hell:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAMFH2vaaHY  Video of Russian orphans being beaten sparks outrage | World news | theguardian.com

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## Lampada

*Будем болеть за Танечку! * С 2013 года она также лыжница.      Tatyana McFadden    *About Tatyana*  At the University of Illinois Tatyana McFadden’s teammates on the school’s wheelchair racing team have nicknamed her Beast. Why? Because Tatyana is strong. In the gym people stop and gawk at how much she is lifting. In a road race spectators marvel at how she flies up hills that bring other racers to a crawl. On the track her competitors hang their heads as they see Tatyana’s rippling shoulders cross the finish line ahead of them. Tatyana is strong as a beast.  
When Tatyana hears the nickname, however, she giggles. Being strong is not something Tatyana has ever had to think about, it is something that she has embodied her whole life.  
By all accounts Tatyana should not be one of the top female athletes in the world. She probably should not be alive. She was born in 1988 in St. Petersburg, Russia, with an underdeveloped spinal cord resulting in paralyzation below the waist and a hole in her spine, a condition know as spina bifida. When operated on immediately, spina bifida is rarely life threatening. Tatyana was left for 21 days before doctors operated. Only her innate strength of will kept her alive.  
As an unwanted disabled child, Tatyana was immediately sent to an orphanage after her surgery. She grew up in a place so poor they could not buy crayons for the children to color with let alone a wheelchair for Tatyana to get around in. Unfazed, she spent the first six years of her life using her arms as legs and walking on her hands as if the were feet.  
In 1994, Debbie McFadden, working as the commissioner of disabilities for the U.S. Health Department, visited Tatyana’s orphanage on a business trip. When she met Tatyana, she immediately felt a connection with the young girl and decided to adopt her and bring her to the United States.  
For Tatyana the adoption meant freedom, it meant a real family, and it meant her first wheelchair, but the excitement was short lived. When she arrived in the US she grew very sick. She was severely anemic and grossly under weight and doctors thought she would only survive a few more months. For a second time in her short life Tatyana’s innate strength would defy the odds.  
To aid in her recovery Debbie began to enroll Tatyana in various youth sports groups. Tatyana began taking swimming lessons at the local pool and, a year after she arrived in the US, began participating with the Bennet Blazers, a Baltimore, Maryland area wheelchair sports organization.  
No longer having to use her strength for survival, Tatyana quickly found she could use that strength to excel in athletics. She tried every sport she could find from archery, to ping-pong to basketball, but from the start she fell in love with wheelchair racing.  
It did not take long for Tatyana’s racing career to take off. In 2004, at the age of 15, she was the youngest member of the USA track and field team at the Athens Paralympic Games, her first international competition. She shocked the world in the process, winning a silver medal in the 100 meters and a bronze in the 200m.  
Two short years later, Tatyana etched her name in the record books, winning the gold medal in the 100m in world record time at the 2006 IPC World Championships in Assen, Netherlands. She followed that performance with two silver medal performances in the 200m and 400m, securing a spot as a “Beast” in international wheelchair racing heading in the 2008 Beijing Parlaympic Games.  
Tatyana did not disappoint in Beijing, coming home with four medals, winning silver in the 200m, 400m and 800m and a bronze in the 4x100m relay.  
Off the track Tatyana is pursuing a degree in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois, and works as a national advocate for equal access for people with disabilities. Learn more about Tatyana’s off-the-field work in Causes.  *Major Achievements* * 
2014*: World Cup Oberstdorf, *9th* 12k, *10th* 1km, *11th* 5km; 
U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing National Championships, *1st* 1km, *3rd* 5k *
2013*: World Cup Cable, Wis., *4th* 15km, *5th* 5km, 1km; 
World Cup Canmore, *7th* 1km, *11th* 5km; 
U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing National Championships, *1st* 1km; 
Named to U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing National Team *
2013*: London Marathon, *1st*; 
Boston Marathon, *1st*; 
Chicago Marathon, *1st*; 
New York City Marathon, *1st*; 
IPC Athletics World Championships, *1st* 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5000m *
2012*: London 2012 Paralympic Games, *1st* 400m, 800m, 1500m, *3rd* 100m; 
 Chicago Marathon, *1st* *
2011*: IPC World Championships,* 1st* 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, *3rd* 100m *
2010*: New York City Marathon, *1st*  *2009:* First place, Chicago Marathon  *2008*: Silver medals, 200m, 400m, 800m; bronze medal, Women's 4 x100m relay - Paralympic Games, Beijing, China.  *2007:* Gold medals, 200m, 800m - U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, Atlanta, GA; 
Gold medals 400m, 800m - Visa Paralympic World Cup, Manchester, UK; 
Gold medal 200m (WR) - Boiling Point Wheelchair Track Classic, Windsor, Canada   *2006:* Gold medal, 100m (WR); Silver medals, 200m, 400m - IPC World Championships, Assen, The Netherlands  *2005:* Gold medal, 100m; Silver medals, 400m, 800m; Bronze medal, 200m - IPC Open European National Championships, Espoo, Finland  *2004:* Silver Medal, 100m; Bronze medal, 200m Paralympic Games, Athens, Greece

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## Lampada

*Skiing with Tatyana McFadden*   http://universalsports.com/2012/06/0...f-fulfillment/

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## edvalais

Bravo, Tatyana, you amazing, inspirational woman! Bravo, Debbie McFadden! 
As for those people who've taken away the opportunity to live a better life from handicapped Russian orphans - shame on you!

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## Lampada

Танечка со своей биологической мамой в окружении родственников.   http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...-birth-mother/

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## Lampada

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2014/03/10/tatyana-mcfadden-sochi-paralympics/6268867/   ._..In track, her accomplishments are unrivaled. Last year, McFadden completed an unprecedented Grand Slam, winning Boston, London, Chicago and New York marathons in one year. At the world championships she won six golds in six different distances. In between preparing for Sochi in her new sport, she graduated from the University of Illinois in December._ _
Still, she's a rookie when it comes to sports on snow. After returning with three golds from the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London, she tried skiing for the first time, made the national team and earned five top-10 finishes in the first three World Cups of her Nordic career._ _
Learning the technique, adjusting to the various course conditions has been a challenge. "This (12K) race is absolutely the hardest for me because distance races take a lot of technique and a lot of strength so I am really proud of myself," said McFadden, who prefers the sprint races, which are still to come. 
"In Germany at the World Cup I was in ninth, so to go from ninth to fifth in the last couple of weeks makes me extremely happy."_

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