Not just watching the sports but games that may change Russia and the world
Rahman Mohamed

The opening ceremonies were today; about 9 hours ago.  There were technical difficulties (a snowflake didn’t turn into a ring) but they showed Russian history, culture, and pride to a stadium that wasn’t full.  There was interest; every time a country marched into the Fisht Stadium an image of the Earth from space rotated to show where it was; but not only that, Dominica, Malta, Paraguay, East Timor (Timor-Leste), Togo, Tonga and Zimbabwe were there to play in the snow.

That’s not all.  Even though Russia has a law banning gay propaganda, 4 activists arrested for showing a rainbow flag and quoting the Olympic Charter banning any form of discrimination, if you want to go to the bathroom with your (same-sex) best friend or colleague you can; and you don’t have to worry about there being a barrier blocking your conversation. First they were found in the biathlon venue, then The Globe and Mail (2014) reported that second pair of toilets sitting side by side with no barrier in between was found in Female Lavatory of the Main Media Centre.

The message has already gone Google.  During the 2012 London Olympics Google put out a different Doodle “sporting game” every day; you were a competing Olympian just by clicking on Google.  For the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games every day was a different sport.

The first one for Sochi 2014:

Google Doodle, February 7, 2014; Retrieved from The National Post

Below the Search box

The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” –Olympic Charter

That’s not the only reason the world’s watching the games.  BBC reported that 66 heads of state and world leaders will be present, but US President Barak Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron won’t be among them.

The cost of Sochi is stated at $30 billion “more than all the previous 21 Winter Olympics combined”