You mean when you come to the hotel you booked months in advance and they say there's no room for you and then when you finally get one you have the bathroom leaking and the curtains falling down - and then you complain about it, it must be the hidden agenda to discredit?

The guys there at Sochi obviously screwed up the hospitality part. If they didn't screw up the games part, as soon as the games open, the tone would change. If they screwed up that too, the tone would stay.

If Shaun White is complaining about your course being unsafe, it's probably really bad http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/sports&id=9420...

I had a privilege and luck to travel and visit that part of Russia in late 90s.

People are very nice (never refuse vodka if you are offered :)). But it is really poor place. There are open manhole in the middle of road - the big one, my friend would take out battery from the car bring it up with car keys, ...

So it is not really "semi-hidden agenda" - it just that Sochi is not Moscow.

Late 90s was horrible and difficult time. Russia is not by any means warm, cozy and polished place now, but it changed enormously since 90s.

I hope when the games start these reports will diminish. However these games are controversial - I recommend this (http://youtu.be/H59qzY_8XbM) documentary that was shot in the years up to the Sochi Olympics that explains a lot of the controversies. More details: http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/episodes/putins-road-to-soch...

And now try to imagine which opportunities it gives to some political forces in Russia to say: "Look, they all against us, they are our enemies".

You would be surprised, but unlike USA that was never the case in Russia, as far as i can remember. There's some sentiment among people like "Ah, again they want to show how bad and evil Russia is. Nothing's changed. Annoying".

Why would NBC discredit them? They paid for the broadcast rights.

Any press is good press.