Sochi winter Olympics draws attention of the world

President Vladimir Putin of Russian Federation, who separated from his wife Lyudmila, 55, in June last year for having an affair with Olympic rhythmic gymnastics gold medallist Alina Kabayeva, 30, plans to show his power to the newly wed wife plus revitalise Russia's tired post-Soviet image in the world, but planned winter Olympics in Sochi has drawn attention of the world because of security concern. The winter Olympics is to take place under the cloud of controversy, including security concerns and unprecedented corruption.
The winter Olympic Games will cost $ 51 billlion which quadrupled Russian estimate and appears to be biggest in expenditure in Olympic history. In 2007, Vladimir Putin rushed to Guatemala City to have words with members of International Olympic Committee to select Sochi in place of South Korean resort of Pyeongchang. Vladimir Putin succeeded in convincing International Olympic Committee members where he spoke in French. The committee voted in favour of Sochi by 51 to 47. He pledged to spend $ 12 billion that dwarfed budgets of other candidates, including South Korea. Present price tag of Sochi has become a source of another embarrassment. The winter Olympics at the balmy Black Sea resort of Sochi is surrounded by restive North Caucasus region including Dagestan.
Igor Nikolaev, Director of Strategic analysis at FBK, a Moscow consulting firm, holds the opinion that money was a reason and argument for Russia to win the rights to host the winter Olympics, but it turned out we spent so much that everybody is trying not to talk any more. Chinese 2008 extravagant summer Olympics cost $ 40 billion. This is because corruption involved as former Deputy Prime Minister of Russian Federation and opposition leader says; the Sochi Olympics are an unprecedented thieves' caper. Boris Nemtsov claims that some $ 26 billion in phony costs may have been creamed off by contractors, many of whom are cronies of Putin. He pointed out the new route into Sochi cost an estimated $ 8.7 billion --- more than Vancouver spent staging the entire Winter Olympics in 2010.
Another controversy arose when Russia passed a law last year banning gay propaganda, a blanket term for any behaviour that promotes homosexuality, punishable by up to 15 days in jail. That law raised calls by world leaders and athletes to boycott winter Olympics, although International Olympic Committee gave a nod to the on-going preparation of Olympic games as the law does not violate Olympics charter. President Barack Obama, who recently deviated from his stand accepting gay marriage in the United States of America, announced he would not be attending Olympic Games. On the other hand, defiantly President appointed former two ex-gay athletes --- Billie Jean and Caitlin Cahow to represent him.
On the opening day of the Olympics a planned gay-pride parade was to take place in Sochi while a threat from Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov looms large who urged neighbouring  North Caucasus to target games to cause as much as carnage as possible. In December last year, two men carried out deadly bombings in the city of Volgograd killing 32 people. Volgograd is located at North Eastern gateway to Sochi. Since then Vladimir Putin has placed 30,000 police and troops from Interior Ministry to strengthen security apparatus. The United States of America also joins hands with Russian Federation to strengthen security in Sochi. Apart from two US warships to Black Sea from Italy, two dozens of FBI agents will be attendance in Sochi Olympic games for the protection of athletes. In a warning State Department has appealed to US athletes not to wear American uniform outside of official venue. A 230-strong athletes' delegation from United States of America would participate in winter Olympics in Sochi which is described as the largest delegation for any country in the history of winter Olympics. Some 6,000 athletes are expected to participate in Sochi winter Olympics. Now all eyes are focused on Sochi winter Olympics.
Mohammad Amjad Hossain, a retired Bangladeshi diplomat and former President of Nova chapter of prestigious Toastmasters International Club, writes from Virginia. Email: amjad.21@gmail.com