Alleged Corruption in the Olympics

Stacy St. Clair

Chicago Tribune reporter Stacy St. Clair voices her concerns about unfiltered water. Other common problems visitors of Sochi face include broken fixtures and lack of internet.

The Olympics are supposed to be a spectacle of athleticism: a show of international cooperation and national pride that lifts up the host city for years to come. This year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, however, have been marred by accusations of unpreparedness and corruption.

According to BusinessWeek, Russia’s government allegedly spent $51 billion to prepare Sochi for host city duties, the most money ever spent for an Olympic Games. The tremendous amount of money was divided for construction, accommodations, and spending directly related to the Olympics. Despite Russia’s efforts, athletes and journalists alike express discontent about their unsatisfactory accommodations via social media.

Chicago Tribune reporter Stacy St. Clair’s tweet regarding poor tap water in her Sochi residence has been retweeted more than 5,000 times. Her tweet is one of thousands criticizing unsatisfactory conditions in Sochi.

CNN Sports Producer Harry Reekie also voiced his concerns about the curtain rod in his hotel room being left in shambles. He also tweeted that CNN booked 11 hotel rooms in a designated Sochi 2014 hotel, only one of which is available.

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In addition, a satirical twitter account called @SochiProblems, which has gathered over 240,000 followers, has been created to further mock and criticize the conditions of the host city.

If so much money was indeed spent on the Olympics and accommodations, no discontent amongst athletes and journalists should exist.

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