In came Russia’s anti-gay laws, along with fears over terrorist attacks and criticism toward Russia’s behavior in their “war on terror” with the volatile Chechnya region. More recently, there’s been discussion of the preparedness of Sochi as journalists arrive in the city and are met with less-than-stellar accommodations, ranging from broken door handles in dirty hotel rooms to struggles to find safe drinking water.

The spotlight that has been put on these controversies and fears actually is no surprise, but the way a couple of these issues are discussed is misguided and overshadows the importance of the Olympics.

Given that there have been recent terrorist attacks in Volgograd, near Sochi, general fears of this occurrence also are legitimate. With the $50 billion price tag and controversial means to prepare Sochi, such as herding stray dogs to kill, the city’s readiness warrants discussion.

Many of us likely will tune in to watch the Olympic Games unfold, but with an added skepticism based on what has been reported on Russia’s anti-gay laws, terrorist threats and harsh living conditions.

The country has received criticism in every form for these issues, sometimes constructive, and sometimes, unfortunately, with ill-intent. Because the games are an international event, I must stand against these anti-gay laws. Ignoring laws targeted against gays, especially gay athletes who have spent their lives training for this, would be ridiculous.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s regime has for many years, especially recently, been occupied with claims to freedom and rejected outside policy interference on what it sees as its own business.
That’s fine, but by accepting to host one of the most viewed international events, Putin’s regime should have compromised on its adamant stance against these values that may not accurately line up with its own.

Personally, I have no problem with Putin flexing his power and standing up against the West. Just like domestic U.S. politics have checks on power, it’s not so terrible to have some check on power at the international level. But this is not the right event or issue to do so.

Some athletes have spent their lives preparing for these games, and they shouldn’t be afraid of being who they are. In an event with such international attention, compromise must be made for inclusivity of all lifestyles.

Regarding the terrorist scare, an occurrence of an attack would be more detrimental to Russia than anyone else, and therefore there is no doubt that much is being done to prevent an attack.

I am also irritated by the level of negative coverage of unpreparedness in Sochi from journalists that have arrived. Journalists have flocked to Twitter to joke about their experiences and the awful accommodations in conjunction with this year’s Olympic Games. As they’ve began to get “settled in” to the city, as opposed to reporting the issues they’ve encountered more sensitively — dirty hotels, broken elevators, poor water quality and many others — many have turned the image into that of a laughing stock.

While I was in Volgograd, many areas weren’t perfect. The university that I studied at had many issues, such as broken sinks and no air conditioning. And yes, I was advised not to drink from the faucet. That is a reality that some people have to live with every day, and not only in Russia. Being a reality for some, making a joke out of it is not a respectful approach to criticism.

Of course, I like working elevators and clean water, but it seems that this has quickly turned into a classic case of us targeting everything that seems backwards, while ignoring other fundamental complexities and positive parts of Russian society. Even worse, it is turning the games from a fun sporting competition to direct political competition.

With the opening ceremony Friday evening, there are things we must consider. We must not let politics crowd the enjoyment of the games, while supporting those negatively affected by the laws. Let’s try to respect the sensitivities and cultural gaps that we lack a firm understanding of, and therefore have no right to authoritatively speak about.

Paul Rose is a comparative cultures and politics, international relations and Russian junior. Reach him at rosepaul@msu.edu.