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Obama on Olympics security in Russia: 'Sochi is safe' Obama on Olympics security in Russia: 'Sochi is safe'
(7 months later)
President Barack Obama has thrown his support behind Russian security preparations for the Sochi Winter Olympics, disagreeing with several US congressmen who have cautioned families against attending.President Barack Obama has thrown his support behind Russian security preparations for the Sochi Winter Olympics, disagreeing with several US congressmen who have cautioned families against attending.
Revealing that the US had examined Russia's plans to prevent terrorists disrupting the Games, which start next week, the president was asked whether he would advise friends of his daughters to go.Revealing that the US had examined Russia's plans to prevent terrorists disrupting the Games, which start next week, the president was asked whether he would advise friends of his daughters to go.
“I'd tell them that I believe that Sochi is safe and that there are always some risks in these large international gatherings,” he told CNN. “I'm always going to feel even better if inside the United States, because then we have full control over what happens. But the Russian authorities understand the stakes here.”“I'd tell them that I believe that Sochi is safe and that there are always some risks in these large international gatherings,” he told CNN. “I'm always going to feel even better if inside the United States, because then we have full control over what happens. But the Russian authorities understand the stakes here.”
The State Department has advised athletes to avoid wearing anything that clearly identifies them as American while travelling outside the Olympic Village, and concern about Sochi's proximity to unstable regions in Russia has dominated US media coverage of the games in recent days.The State Department has advised athletes to avoid wearing anything that clearly identifies them as American while travelling outside the Olympic Village, and concern about Sochi's proximity to unstable regions in Russia has dominated US media coverage of the games in recent days.
However, Obama, who is not attending the Games after a year of strained political relations with the Kremlin, signalled that he nonetheless felt US security fears were overplayed in comments that amount to the most forthright endorsement yet of Russian preparations by the White House.However, Obama, who is not attending the Games after a year of strained political relations with the Kremlin, signalled that he nonetheless felt US security fears were overplayed in comments that amount to the most forthright endorsement yet of Russian preparations by the White House.
“We are co-ordinating with them. We've looked at their plans,” he said. “I think we have a good sense of the security that they're putting in place to protect not only the athletes themselves, but also visitors there.“We are co-ordinating with them. We've looked at their plans,” he said. “I think we have a good sense of the security that they're putting in place to protect not only the athletes themselves, but also visitors there.
“So what I would say is is that if you want to go to the Olympics, you should go to the Olympics. We're not discouraging, in any way, Americans from participating in what is just always an amazing, wonderful event.”“So what I would say is is that if you want to go to the Olympics, you should go to the Olympics. We're not discouraging, in any way, Americans from participating in what is just always an amazing, wonderful event.”
The president admitted there were always risks to such events, but pointed out that major US sporting events had proved vulnerable too. “In these large settings like this, there are always some risk[s] involved,” said Obama. “I don't want to completely discount those but as we've seen here in the United States and at the Boston Marathon, there were some risks if you have lone wolfs or small cells of folks who are trying to do some damage.”The president admitted there were always risks to such events, but pointed out that major US sporting events had proved vulnerable too. “In these large settings like this, there are always some risk[s] involved,” said Obama. “I don't want to completely discount those but as we've seen here in the United States and at the Boston Marathon, there were some risks if you have lone wolfs or small cells of folks who are trying to do some damage.”
An earlier State Department travel advisory pointed to recent terrorist attacks in the region as reasons for vigilance by visiting Americans.An earlier State Department travel advisory pointed to recent terrorist attacks in the region as reasons for vigilance by visiting Americans.
The Olympic venue is roughly 200 miles from Chechnya, and 250 miles from Dagestan. Sochi is also bordered by the disputed territory of Abkhazia, less than 10 miles to the south, which has seen extremist violence. The Olympic venue is roughly 200 miles from Chechnya, and 250 miles from Dagestan. Sochi is also bordered by the disputed territory of Abkhazia, less than 10 miles to the south, which has seen extremist violence.