Russia struggling to be ready for Olympics
By David Wharton and Sergei L. Loiko, Los Angeles Times
MOSCOW — Clouds of dust. Piles of rubble. Muddy roads and construction sites.
Oleg Rubezhansky looks around Sochi and says: “We live like in a besieged town during the war.”
His Russian city is not under attack, it is scrambling to finish preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics with less than 100 days remaining until the opening ceremony.
And Rubezhansky, who owns a local newspaper and television company, is not alone in his concern.
Work delays, massive cost overruns and allegations of corruption have marked the run-up to these Games. Some weather forecasters are predicting a warm winter with not enough snow to cover ski runs and snowboard halfpipes.
Just as worrisome, Russia’s new anti-gay legislation has triggered a sustained international outcry among political leaders and athletes.
