Smoothly run and sometimes dazzling, the Sochi Olympics fulfilled President Vladimir Putin's promise of a "spectacular event", even if doubts about the sustainability of the infrastructure and the political background were never fully banished.
To make his dream a reality, Putin in half a decade turned largely untouched marshland south of Sochi into an Olympic park with six stadiums and the almost virgin mountains above into a world-class snow resort.
The price tag was more than $50 billion, making Sochi the most expensive Games in history, and the project bore the hallmark of the Russian strongman from even before the bid in 2007.
Despite International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach's call for political slogans not to be made on the "backs of athletes", politics was rarely far away amid alarm over Russia's rights record and the crisis in Ukraine.
But Russian officials boasted that the Sochi Winter Olympics had succeeded in exploding stereotypes about Putin's Russia, saying the country showed an open face to the world and proved it could live up to its commitments.
"The ice of scepticism towards the new Russia has been broken," declared Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak. "Now you have seen that Russia can keep its word."
The Games slogan "Hot. Cool. Yours." was ridiculed when it was unveiled but seemed more apt by the end, with spectators enjoying comfortable temperatures, the snow just about holding and the atmosphere improving all the time.
'Olympic-class' skiing
Many came to Sochi expecting oppressive and draconian security after Caucasus Islamist militants threatened attacks. But while thorough and widespread, the measures were rarely intrusive.
The idea of holding the Winter Olympics in a sub-tropical resort had seemed odd and temperatures even in the mountains became so high at one point that some cross country skiers donned shorts.
But Russia was helped by a heavy snowfall in January and intensive preparations meant there was never any shortage of the white stuff.
International Ski Federation Secretary General Sarah Lewis said the weather had been "challenging" but in the end the events had been "Olympic class".
She said the organisers had sensibly ensured there was a "strong, deep and compact snow base" that can cope with "a lot of problems".
When Putin, in painfully accented English, presented the Sochi bid at a now famous 2007 IOC session in Guatemala, he gave his guarantee that the facilities would be finished on time despite the ambition of the project.
And finished on time they were. But only just, with media checking into their hotel rooms to find workers still hammering nails into the walls.
'Challenge of sustainability'
Quite whether Putin's Russia transformed its image during the Games remains doubtful and one of the abiding images of these Olympics may be that of a vigilante Cossack laying into members of the Pussy Riot feminist group in Sochi city centre with a horse whip.
Thirty-three human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, wrote to Bach saying the Olympics should not be held in countries with discriminatory laws, in a reference to Russia's anti-gay legislation.
Ecological activist Yevgeny Vitishko, who had raised alarm over the consequences for the environment of the Games, was ordered to serve a three-year jail sentence for vandalism, which his supporters said was a pretext for eliminating a critic.
"A cross has now basically been put over what was a unique ecological area," said his group, the Environmental Watch on North Caucasus.
Sochi Games chief Dmitry Chernyshenko insisted there would be "no white elephants" after the Games, with the mountain facilities set to be part of a top-class tourist resort and all the coastal stadiums to find a use.
Others remain to be convinced. Alfons Hoermann, head of the German Sports Confederation, said the Sochi Games had raised the standards in many respects but going forwards the toughest issue would be the "sustainability" of the venues.
He said the South Korean 2018 Winter Games host Pyeongchang would offer a middle way between the ambition of Sochi and hosting the Games in Europe. "There is not going to be the extreme time pressure there," he said.
AFP
Mon Feb 24 2014
Media perlu manfaat kebebasan bersuara, rai kemajmukan Malaysia
Pengamal media di Malaysia perlu memanfaatkan kebebasan bersuara dengan sebaiknya tanpa perlu menggugat keharmonian dan menimbulkan sebarang kekacauan di negara ini.
10 Berita Pilihan - (03 Mei 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
AWANI Ringkas: Kes pemerasan RM1.25 juta
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
SPAN amal toleransi sifar terhadap isu rasuah, tatakelola
SPAN memandang serius sebarang isu melibatkan tatakelola, rasuah atau salah laku yang boleh menjejaskan tahap perkhidmatan dan imej industri perkhidmatan air negara.
PRK KKB: Nga sedia beri kerjasama kepada SPR isu peruntukan
Nga sedia memberi kerjasama kepada Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) berhubung aduan mengenai pengumuman peruntukan berjumlah RM5.21 juta kepada Majlis Perbandaran Hulu Selangor (MPHS).
AWANI Tonight: 3rd May 2024
#AWANITonight with Hafiz Marzukhi
- M'sia drops 34 spots to 107th in World Press Freedom Index
- Gaza: Turkiye halts all trade with Israel
#AWANIenglish #AWANInews
- M'sia drops 34 spots to 107th in World Press Freedom Index
- Gaza: Turkiye halts all trade with Israel
#AWANIenglish #AWANInews
Menteri Luar Malaysia akan wakili PM Anwar di Sesi Ke-15 Sidang Kemuncak OIC di Banjul, Gambia
Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan akan mengetuai delegasi Malaysia selaku wakil Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ke Sesi Ke-15 Sidang Kemuncak OIC di Banjul, Gambia dari 4 hingga 5 Mei ini.
Perhilitan Kelantan tangkap gajah liar ganggu penduduk di Tanah Merah
Jabatan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara (Perhilitan) Kelantan menangkap seekor gajah liar di Kampung Tal Tujuh, Jerangau, semalam.
Pemuda dipenjara lapan bulan, denda 1,500 kerana curi beg sandang wanita sarat hamil
Seorang pekerja sebuah syarikat penapis air yang mencuri beg sandang seorang wanita sarat mengandung sembilan bulan dihukum penjara selama lapan bulan oleh Mahkamah Majistret di sini hari ini.
AWANI 7:45 [03/05/2024] – 15 lokasi skrin besar | Malaysia di kedudukan 107 | Nasihat Mufti Perak
Laporan berita padat dan ringkas #AWANI745 bersama Syaff Shukri
Tumpuan #AWANI745 malam ini:
- Misi 'pecahkan Tembok Besar China' dan mara ke final Piala Thomas
- Indeks kebebasan media Malaysia merudum
- Tersasar daripada landasan keadilan Islam, mufti nasihat henti boikot KK Mart
- Cedera di kepala, kaki dan tangan, polis buru dua individu samun Akhyar Rasid
Saksikan #AWANI745 di saluran 501 Astro AWANI, Astro AWANI apps dan astroawani.com/live-tv
Tumpuan #AWANI745 malam ini:
- Misi 'pecahkan Tembok Besar China' dan mara ke final Piala Thomas
- Indeks kebebasan media Malaysia merudum
- Tersasar daripada landasan keadilan Islam, mufti nasihat henti boikot KK Mart
- Cedera di kepala, kaki dan tangan, polis buru dua individu samun Akhyar Rasid
Saksikan #AWANI745 di saluran 501 Astro AWANI, Astro AWANI apps dan astroawani.com/live-tv
Dream of maiden Olympic gold put on hold
When one looks back on this year, it is inevitable that the main topic of discussion will be the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ini 5 fakta menarik temasya Olimpik Tokyo 2020
Pun begitu, sepanjang sesi persiapan, warga dunia telah dapat melihat proses persediaan yang dilakukan oleh Jepun sebagai tarikan dan untuk menaikkan momentum sebelum acara perasmiannya.
Malaysia akan terajui industri halal dunia - Mohd Redzuan
Malaysia akan menerajui bidang halal yang bakal melihat pengiktirafan tanpa sempadan dalam isu berkenaan di semua negara Islam seluruh dunia.
Amerika jangan main-main, jari saya sentiasa dekat dengan butang nuklear - Kim Jong Un
Pemimpin Korea Utara Kim Jong Un tegaskan Amerika Syarikat tidak akan berani lancarkan peluru berpandu ke Pyongyang.
Yuna, Lenny Kravitz persembah lagu promosi Sukan Olimpik 2016
Penyanyi tempatan yang kini menetap di Amerika Syarikat, Yuna merupakan antara salah seorang daripada lima penyanyi yang dipilih untuk mempersembahkan lagu promosi Sukan Olimpik 2016.