MOSCOW - A Russian cabinet official in charge of preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi blasted local environmentalists on Friday, saying they are taking an "unconstructive" position.
As the four-year countdown to the Games begins, ecologists charge that picturesque areas surrounding the Black Sea resort of Sochi have been destroyed, spring water has been contaminated by heavy metal waste and the construction of the facilities is hazardously amateur.
Referring to Russian environmentalists, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said that "instead of trying to solve ecological problems and compensation measures, people are taking an absolutely unconstructive position," Russian news agencies reported.
Many of the domestic NGOs, Kozak was quoted as saying, are "simply targeting the derailment of the Games project," adding that experts from the United Nations Environment Program had arrived at that conclusion after consultations with the groups.
Nick Nuttall, a spokesman for UNEP, refused to comment on Kozak's claim, saying the report was not yet complete.
Last month, Igor Chestin, the head of the Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund, said the group had ceased co-operation with Olympic organizers, complaining their concerns were being ignored. Greenpeace Russia has also withdrawn from discussions, according to Andrei Petrov, the group's World Heritage program co-ordinator.
Also Friday, Kozak warned state Olympic constructor Olimpstroi that it should increase the pace of building. The luge and bobsled track is now slightly behind schedule, he said, adding that it would come into operation by the end of 2012, a six-month delay.
All facilities are being built from scratch for the Sochi Games, to be held in two clusters outside the city itself. Ice rink-based events will be held at a coastal cluster, while a mountain cluster will feature skiing, snowboarding and bobsledding, among other sports.
Activists say the chief environmental threat is to the Mzymta River, which connects the two clusters. Thousands of beech trees have been felled to clear the path for a road and rail link that skirts the river.
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Whiskey River
2 years ago
All I can say is...
LOL HA HA...BAHAHAWAHHALOLWAHHALOL.
Tha Sochi games will be the greenest games in the history of winter games! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Ramona777
2 years ago
I"m Still Waiting To Find Out
Which athletes were sent home for failing their drug tests --- come on Tyee, I thought you would have told us by now.
newphorik
2 years ago
LOL?
What's funny?
Whiskey River
2 years ago
@Newphoric
What`s funny?
All of Canada was proud,the cheering,the pride,while the IOC is a roving band of bandits that take over cities,human rights,ignore environmental issues.
That`s funny, so we couldn`t stop the IOC from displacing people in Bejiing,or Vancouver,oh the promise of social housing,no social housing will be allowed in the 1.3 billion dollar olympic village..
Truckloads of money has vanished,the bills will run for decades, a money losing convention center,a sinking speed skating oval, a money rip on the sea to sky highway upgrade, $1 billion over budget on the Canada line yet Government claims it was on budget..
So when I hear environmentalists raising concerns in Russia..I laugh,good luck with that.
The IOC and developers will have a Green old time$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
That`s what is funny,Canadians fell for it,hook,line and sinker!
leftofcentre
2 years ago
Whiskey River...
You may be the only person in Vancouver left who thinks the 2010 Winter Olympics were nothing short of a success.
Whiskey River
2 years ago
Left of center
If you consider a big booze up successs,you`re right, value for dollars,you`re wrong..
Spend $2billion on frills for two weeks...party party party...That was a success.
$1 billion for security..Wait until Vancouver tries to see those units in the athletes village,paper thin walls,nothing green,over $1 million per unit,...
Vancouver will take a bath for years on those units...
But all is good because a bunch of people had an excuse to get drunk for 2 weeeks.
Including a meglomaniac premier wearing red mitts waving a giant flag sceaming the national anthem....The last desperate act of a scoundrel is to wrap themselves in the flag....
Haiti needs $2 billion dollars to wipe out their government debt...
Sochi is spending $44 billion on their winter games...It will turn into $80 billion dollars...And Campbell has no money for Cerebral palsy programs..or insulin pumps for poor children,or money for playgrounds,but money for oiol n gas,another $120 million dollar subsidy announced yesterday...What the $2 billion dollar yearly tax hit for consumers isn`t enough?
So other than that Left of center...$$%#$% off!
IranianDude
2 years ago
Success?
"You may be the only person in Vancouver left who thinks the 2010 Winter Olympics were nothing short of a success."
Let's wait for the blues when the bills come sweetheart THEN we can talk about success.
Ramona777
2 years ago
Say Something Original
We all know the Olympics are nothing other than a party for the rich.
Aathletes are a sideshow.
If was about athletics then it wouldn't matter where The Games were held.
Locate them in the same place each year. Save our planet's resources.
Cut out the avaricious developers.
Cut out the lying politicians.
Cut out the ill-informed pundits.
Make it truly about sport. (I wish).
Remember, most Olympic level athletes come from wealthy families. Are they heroes? They're fortunate they had the chance and that they didn't have to work a job after school or that their parents supported them.
Think of all the disadvantaged kids that never get the chance.
W Laurier
2 years ago
Gee
Why don't we send Eby and his "legal observers" over there to make sure the people have their right to protest taken seriously.
We can send Grant, too.