But students who study Russian at MSU — and who have been there — and the 21 Russian international students know better than to judge. They want people all over the world to understand Russia is very different from the U.S.

“People expect things they shouldn’t expect out of Russia,” finance sophomore Kurt Hamel, vice president of the Russian Club, said. “There’s not the luxury people are used to in America.”

Hamel said that because Russia won the bid for the Olympics in Sochi seven years ago,the economy crashed and they do not have the same infrastructure they had back then.

The Games also have significant ties for alumni and students,: statenews/top (State News Top Stories) including members of the club who’ve traveled to the country and studied abroad, giving them a more in-depth view of the nation and its issues.

Procrastination also might be a factor as to why Russia did not reach its full potential, Russian Club president and psychology sophomore Sarah Hartlieb said.

Former president Andrew Roth — a political science and Russian senior — said the problems are documented.

“The country is being openly mocked, and not on false allegations,” Roth said. “Workers got results without work, they cheat the system.”

Because of the criticism — including an incident where workers painted grass green instead of planting new seed — Roth said people are very unimpressed and laugh at the country.

“The Olympics are a chance to showcase how much better it is, and show that they’ve moved past Communism,” he said.

The start of the event was fraught with complications, including concern on the part of athletes and officials over the weather, as Sochi’s climate is warmer than other Games locations.

“It’s sad that people are dissing hotels, because I feel like there are other great things like the stadium. The stadium is spectacular,” Hartlieb said.

The greater picture of the Olympics and the games themselves is what matters, said international relations and Russian freshman Aaron Rozin, who does public relations for the club.

“Any event as big as the Olympics is going to have a fall, but the security in Russia has a handle on it,” Rozin said. “The sporting events unite the world more than the issues — the games are supposed to be fun.”

As for the law issues the other countries see, Rozin said other parts of the world could let their voice be heard peacefully.

Russian Club treasurer Craig Petersen, a political science and economics junior, said people still see the host country with the Soviet stigma from its history.

“The Olympics there are an opening window. It’s not as backwards as people see it to be,” Petersen said.

With the Olympics at Sochi, modern Russia is being exposed to the world, Roth said.