Vladimir Putin sizes up the scale of Sochi Olympics.
Vladimir Putin's schedule prevented him from attending the opening ceremony for the 2010 Olympic Games, but the day before the start of the Olympics he came to Sochi and had a video link with the "Russian House" in Vancouver, the biggest Olympic residence in Russia's history. Even erratic communications did not prevent him from inspiring the Russian team and IOC members.
Late in the evening, when the TV link was established with Vancouver, Putin first asked the Russian athletes if they were comfortable in the Olympic residence. The reply from the Olympic athletes was upbeat. The Russian team thought the official Russian residence in Vancouver, "Russia House," was one of the most beautiful ever. This is not surprising, considering that the Russian authorities face the challenge of giving a boost to Russian sport and a massive presentation of the Sochi 2014 in Vancouver.
The prime minister joined the publicity effort personally. Pictures of the main ice hockey arena were shown to Vancouver over the TV link. As if to spite Vancouver, Putin demonstrated that even in plus 12 degrees temperature in Sochi, the skiing cluster was covered in snow. "But we have to be ready for any surprises, we are preparing a water pool to artificially lower the temperature," Putin said.
Commenting on the scale of the Sochi Olympics, "a project started from scratch, in a green field and with a clean slate," he said, "this is cool." Away from the cameras, he told journalists that investors have come to believe in the project, judging from the fact that they have already contributed half a trillion roubles in private money.
"Sochi-2014 Russia House" is the only official site of the Russian delegation at the 21st Olympic Games in Vancouver. According to IOC rules, the Sochi-2014 organising committee is to present to the world public in Canada not only the Sochi Olympics, but the city and the country where they will take place. Accordingly, Russia House is largely a prestige project for Russia.
Russia House is located at the Science Museum, an important Vancouver landmark, close to the facilities of the 2010 Olympics: BC Place stadiums, which will see the opening and closing ceremonies, GM Place (hockey) and the Olympic Village. The total area of Russia House is more than 10,000 square metres: it comprises seven exhibition halls, four auditoriums, two screening rooms, a souvenir shop, warehouses and offices. It is the largest Olympic residence in Russia's history which can accommodate between 20 and 1,200 guests.
The residence is designed with a view to conveying national flavour: Russian food and performances by Russian pop-stars. Makarevich, Kuzmin and Pelageya have already confirmed they will be there. AvtoRadio will open its own stand: for the first time in history a Russian radio station would broadcast from Canada. On February 16, four winners of the "Battle for Respect" rap contest will arrive in Vancouver. Putin had promised the winners to get them to the Vancouver games and he is delivering on his promise.
Inga Vorobyova