Sochi, Russia’s largest resort city, has world-renowned beaches and is no stranger to hot weather. However, the city, this year’s host site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, was not prepared for the heat it has received in response to the poor living conditions for the event’s athletes.
Social media, Twitter in particular, has been bombarded by several international athletes tweeting complaints with pictures of desolate rooms.
Stacy St. Clair of the Chicago Tribune tweeted that her hotel had no running water. Once the water was restored, she then tweeted a picture of two glasses that contained what looked like a combination of urine and gasoline.  Several other journalists complained, and apparently, only six of the nine allotted hotels were fully functional.
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak unintentionally admitted that some hotel showers contained surveillance cameras. National Post sportswriter Bruce Arthur wrote that almost every room was missing light bulbs, TVs, furniture and curtains. The conditions were so bad that several commodes were incapable of consuming toilet paper. Instead, people were instructed to place used toilet paper in a bin.
Yahoo! Sports columnist Dan Wetzel tweeted a picture, offering to trade three light bulbs for a functioning door handle. After an alleged  $51 billion spent to renovate the city of Sochi, Russia has obviously dropped the ball when preparing for these winter games.  Sochi was selected as this year’s host site in 2007. Russia has had approximately seven years to prepare, making the current state of the Olympics a global embarrassment.
Kozak also demanded that gay athletes do not touch children during their stay. Clearly, there has also been a lot of tension regarding gay and lesbian athletes competing in their respective events.  A law was passed in 2013 that banned the spreading of propaganda from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.  President Obama and Vice President Biden declined to attend the games as the United State’s national delegates for what is believed to have been a symbolic boycott. Instead, the U.S. sent tennis legend Billie Jean King and hockey player Caitlin Cahow, whom are both openly known as lesbians.
Outrage over the intolerance of homosexuality spread to Manhattan when about 50 protesters surrounded the Russian consulate. They poured red liquid, or what they considered to be “vampire blood,” on the Olympic flag.
Needless to say, the athletes, fans and journalists will overcome the terrible living conditions. Gold medals will be won and legends will be made, but Russia’s reputation has taken a lasting hit. At the moment, Russia has very few things going well for them aside from vodka and intricate ballet.