Mr Tickle Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Theres a Panorama program me on BBC 1 tonight at 8.30, called Putins games if anyone wants to watch in the uk. Apparently the Panorama team were 'detained' by police and had their passports taken at some point. Not sure if that will be covered, but it doesn't seem the friendliest of welcomes.
Tony E Loves Architecture Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Theres a Panorama program me on BBC 1 tonight at 8.30, called Putins games if anyone wants to watch in the uk. Apparently the Panorama team were 'detained' by police and had their passports taken at some point. Not sure if that will be covered, but it doesn't seem the friendliest of welcomes. I'll be watching Panorama here in London, England.
Rob2012 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Theres a Panorama program me on BBC 1 tonight at 8.30, called Putins games if anyone wants to watch in the uk. Apparently the Panorama team were 'detained' by police and had their passports taken at some point. Not sure if that will be covered, but it doesn't seem the friendliest of welcomes. This is one story from the Panorama doc... No gay people in city, says mayor The mayor of Sochi, host of the Winter Olympics, has said there are no gay people in the city. Anatoly Pakhomov said homosexuals were welcome at the Games - as long as they "respect Russian law" and "don't impose their habits on others". Opposition leader Boris Nemtsov said there were several gay bars in Sochi. In June 2013, Russia passed a law banning the promotion of "non-traditional" sexuality to under-18s - widely seen as an attack on gay rights. The controversial new law made providing information on homosexuality to under-18s a crime, punishable by a fine. Critics say its loose interpretation effectively stops gay rights protests in Russia. Anatoly Pakhomov, a member of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, told Panorama that gay people would be welcome at the Games. "Our hospitality will be extended to everyone who respects the laws of the Russian Federation and doesn't impose their habits on others", he said. But when asked whether gay people had to hide their sexuality in Sochi, the Mayor said: "No, we just say that it is your business, it's your life. But it's not accepted here in the Caucasus where we live. We do not have them in our city." When challenged, the mayor admitted that he was not certain there were no gay people in Sochi: "I am not sure, but I don't bloody know them." More @ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25675957
baron-pierreIV Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 I mean, actually, just go to the Sochi sections in SSC; and you'd get a feel for the "police" state these Games will be held under. Is SSC under Sovier or NKVD control? You won't find a single, unflattery post in SSC about Sochi. Either it's ALLLL neutral or very pro-Sochi. I really wonder about SSC???
Rob2012 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 I mean, actually, just go to the Sochi sections in SSC; and you'd get a feel for the "police" state these Games will be held under. Is SSC under Sovier or NKVD control? You won't find a single, unflattery post in SSC about Sochi. Either it's ALLLL neutral or very pro-Sochi. I really wonder about SSC??? In the stadiums and sports arenas section of the forum non-architecture posts are deleted. There's a thread in the off-topic section where they're more lenient... http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1687768&page=3
Mr Tickle Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Ive never known a lead up to a games like this. Theres always big stories leading up to a games, like its all going to go wrong etc. London certainly had its fair share. These stories are different though. A story saying London's roads will grind to a halt is on a different scale to the whole terror thing, the corruption and cost and future bid cites being turned off, the persecution of homosexuals. Do people think as soon as the opening ceremony gets underway all that stuff will really be forgotten, they just seem like really big issues, that really could mark these games.
Gangwon Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 When challenged, the mayor admitted that he was not certain there were no gay people in Sochi: "I am not sure, but I don't bloody know them." LOL, that's a great line, after being so sure.
DarJoLe Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 I know of a few ex-LOCOGers who left the Sochi Organising Commitee due to the anti-gay legislation. If even people working within a supposedly 'secure' zone of an OCOG feel threatened, and Government officials aren't willing to support them for their first hand experience of having done a Games before, then there is seriously something wrong there. I can't think the Sochi Organising Committee would have been happy for them to leave. It is an interesting conundrum about what they will do if Russia ever hosts the Eurovision Song Contest again, what with high percentage of gay fans as well as Eurovision organising staff who are gay, and certainly aren't going to stop being as open about themselves. If Russia can afford not to have their experience on the ground, then they're fools.
Barcelona_'92 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Ive never know a lead up to a games like this. Theres always big stories leading up to a games, like its all going to go wrong etc. London certainly had its fair share. These stories are different though. A story saying London's roads will grind to a halt is on a different scale to the whole terror thing, the corruption and cost and future bid cites being turned off, the persecution of homosexuals. Do people think as soon as the opening ceremony gets underway all that stuff will really be forgotten, they just seem like really big issues, that really could mark these games. No, I don't. Not this time. Even if there are no attacks, I assume there will probably be daily reports of threats. I think the IOC is going to be very happy to see Sochi in its rear-view mirror. These Games are a huge stain on the Olympic Movement and are really damaging the IOC's brand.
intoronto Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/eye-popping-excerpts-from-a-report-alleging-corruption-at
Barcelona_'92 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/eye-popping-excerpts-from-a-report-alleging-corruption-at Disgusting. http://bostonherald.com/sports/columnists/2014/01/dahlberg_danger_in_sochi_and_an_olympics_on_edge
yoshi Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 This is the new Montreal isn't it. Let's hope it doesn't wreck the Olympic movement for good
ofan Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 This is the new Montreal isn't it. Let's hope it doesn't wreck the Olympic movement for good People have to remember that Montreal was the first Summer Olympics after Munich, so terrorism worries must have been prevalent for these Games too.
Gangwon Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Haha love it. Paul, don't ever change!
StefanMUC Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/eye-popping-excerpts-from-a-report-alleging-corruption-at If it wasn't so depressing, the story about the Potemkin airport would be particularly funny. Who were the members of the Evaluation Commission? Were they really that blind and stupid? Another piece in the puzzle of IOC embarrassment.
Rob2012 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Given Bach's not likely to want to do anything to damage the Olympic brand, this is not a small concession on his part: Competitors at the Sochi Winter Olympics have been cleared to speak out on political issues, if they wish, during event press conferences.That concession, likely to irritate Russian President Vladimir Putin, has come from Thomas Bach, leader of the International Olympic Committee, who has come under heavy pressure to defend freedom of expression as well as host sensitivities.Bach, addressing the issue during a pre-Sochi media exchange, said: “It is absolutely very clear the Games cannot be used as a stage for political demonstrations, no matter how good the cause may be. If so, the IOC will take individual decisions.“On the other hand, athletes enjoy the freedom of speech. At a press conference if they want to make a political statement they are absolutely free to do so.” http://keirradnedge.com/2014/01/27/bach-says-sochi-2014-competitors-are-free-to-air-views-at-press-conferences/
baron-pierreIV Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Well, Figure Skating and Ballet are NOT considered "effeminate" in Russian culture. So even though I am a New Yorker subscriber; I think the satire on this falls flat.
arwebb Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Theres a Panorama program me on BBC 1 tonight at 8.30, called Putins games if anyone wants to watch in the uk. Apparently the Panorama team were 'detained' by police and had their passports taken at some point. Not sure if that will be covered, but it doesn't seem the friendliest of welcomes. Watching it at the moment. Deeply, deeply depressing.
Tony E Loves Architecture Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Watching it at the moment. Deeply, deeply depressing. I saw it here in London, England.
Rob2012 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Tony, we all know you're a Londoner, please stop telling us this at every opportunity! Not a lot new in this Panorama although, just like Beijing, we have another town that's lost it's water supply because of an Olympics. I hadn't heard that news before. The other things brought up, for those who didn't watch it, include the gay rights issue (Sochi's mayor says there's no gay people in his city), kickbacks for Putin's mates (amounting to about a third of the budget), nearby villages used to dump Olympic waste, jouranlists reporting on the Games having drugs planted on them...have I missed anything? Well, all very depressing as Arwebb says.
adrianme17 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Priceless - love this cover - nearly p@ssed my pants! Cover of the year/decade!!!
Frenchy Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Tony, we all know you're a Londoner, please stop telling us this! Not a lot new in this Panorama although, just like Beijing, we have another town that's lost it's water supply because of an Olympics. I hadn't heard that news before. The other things brought up, for those who didn't watch it, include the gay rights issue (Sochi's mayor says there's no gay people in his city), kickbacks for Putin's mates (amounting to about a third of the budget), nearby villages used to dump Olympic waste, jouranlists reporting on the Games having drugs planted on them...have I missed anything? Well, all very depressing as Arwebb says. Workers not being paid........and beaten up when they complain!
JMarkSnow2012 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Workers not being paid........and beaten up when they complain! And that guy who, in protest at the lack of pay, sewed his lips together. I kept thinking "Any minute now, Chris Morris is gong to appear", but he didn't. It was all real.
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