The 2014 Winter Olympics is the first Olympic Games to be held in Russia since the breakup of the USSR in 1991. That being said, one would think that — as with any Olympic host country — Russia would want to make a good impression on the world. In 2007 the International Olympic Committee announced Sochi as the host city, giving Russia over six years to organize the games.
   It is no secret the 2014 Winter Olympics haven’t quite gone as planned. From the very beginning, Sochi has disappointed the masses.
   As reporters from all countries arrived in Sochi, they checked into hotel rooms that were not complete. Some reporters went without beds. All were advised not to use the water to wash their faces. Again, I emphasize that Russia has had over six years to prepare for the games. That is more than enough time to build sufficient hotels.  As if that weren’t horrifying enough, Bob Costas sported a double eye infection to cover the primetime Olympic events for two days before being replaced by Matt Lauer who was then replaced by Meredith Viera.   
    In addition to the living conditions for reporters, the newest Olympic event, slopestyle snowboarding, has left many competitors injured. In fact, two-time Gold medalist Shaun White dropped out of the event in fear of injuring himself and not being able to compete in the halfpipe event. Since this event is new to the Olympic games, special care should have been taken in designing the ramp and course — “should” being the key word.
    These games have also been riddled with more crashes and injuries than most. From broken collarbones and jaws on both the slopestyle skiing and snowboarding courses to a worker with two broken legs, Sochi has been nothing short of gruesome. A bobsleigh track worker was hit by a forerunner, which broke both of his legs. A Canadian slopestyle skier broke her jaw when she landed short on a jump. Some competitors haven’t even made it to their event due to being injured during training.
   Vladimir Putin and the IOC invested $50 billion dollars into the games, with intent to showcase Russia’s power. Instead, the money has highlighted the flaws of the country. From shabby hotels to power outages, the money invested in these games does not show. Snow had to be brought in to build the courses, as Sochi is located in the southernmost part of Russia.
   It is also rumored that much of the money spent has been in bribes, kickbacks and shakedowns. After all, the most powerful Russian crime bosses are from the area surrounding Sochi. Another topic of controversy has been Putin’s anti-gay mentality. Though the country’s government is quite clearly against homosexuality, many of the Olympic competitors are, in fact, gay.
    Ultimately, the Sochi Winter Olympics have been a bit of a failure. From reporters without living spaces to competitors hiding their sexuality, the games have angered and outraged many. But ultimately, as is human nature, we keep watching and rooting for our favorite athletes.