Safety concerns with the Sochi Olympics

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With the Sochi Olympics beginning last Friday in Russia, people around the world are excited to take part in such a memorable event.

With an extraordinary occasion taking place, though, there are also risks involved while preparing for the world’s most expensive Olympics yet.

According to CNN, the Olympics will cost an astounding $51 billion with an estimated 3 billion viewers worldwide. The park in Sochi holds 75,000 spectators and there will be 6,000 competitors from 85 countries participating.

Since the event is so monumental, U.S. and Russia have gone the distance to protect the spectators and participants from any outside threats. Though Russian president Vladimir Putin vows the games will be safe, Matthew Olsen, speaking at a House Intelligence Committee hearing, said otherwise. Olsen explained, the primary threat comes from Imarat Kavkaz, probably the most prominent terrorist group in Russia.

“It made its intent clear to seek to carry out attacks in the run-up to the games,” said Olsen.
The American participants in the Olympics are even advised by Russian officials not to wear the American flag walking into or out of the games, according to CNN.That is not the only precaution that Russia has taken in order to seize terrorists.

Even the Sochi airport is under heavy security, fully equipped with guard dogs, barbed wire fences, and lookouts every 100 yards.

BBC also said that the U.S. warns of possible toothpaste bombs that could be smuggled onto an airplane and into the country to create explosives. Although this is a legitimate concern, Russia has restricted all liquids, pastes and gels from entering its airports making the security tighter than it has ever been before.

With so much security and defense going into this year’s Olympics, I agree with the U.S. and Russia’s tactics on stopping any terroristics threats.

There have been hundreds of claims that terrorists will strike at a moment’s notice, so it is valid that these countries are pushing for such harsh security measures.

I believe it is our responsibility to set an example of protection to the good people that attend these events.

We should not live in a world where we are afraid of outside parties attempting to commit heinous acts to destroy our freedoms and way of life.

The Olympics are a traditional and an international spectacle of amazing events that illustrate such athleticism and there is no reason to fret over idiotic terroristic threats.