Winter Olympics in a Subtropical Region

As previously mentioned, I think having the Winter Olympics in Sochi was definitely a bad idea because of the outrageous expenses, the political issues and the environmental problems. Well, here is another reason why I think that this location was a very risky choice for holding the Winter Games:

Snow storage

Snow cannon

Sochi is located on the eastern coast of Russia, on the Black Sea, therefore it isn't typically known for its winter weather. So, is there a logical reason why a winter based event that requires snow and ski slopes was held in a subtropical city? You’d think that the lack of snow at the previous Winter Games (i.e. Vancouver) would have pushed the location of the Olympics to a city that is very cold. This would ensure appropriate temperatures for the outdoor events, like skiing and snowboarding. But, I guess the Sochi organizers were aware of the snow issue that occurred in the last 2010 Winter Olympics because they prepared contingency plans well in advance. With the average temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter in Sochi, they needed to make sure there would be an adequate supply of snow. To ensure they were prepared for unfavorable conditions, Russia spent tons of money on a large snow making system from Europe (consisting of water reservoirs that would supply snow for 400 snow cannons along the courses). They also gathered 710,000 cubic meters of snow from the winters prior to the Games. The organizers stored this snow in colder mountainous regions to keep it from melting, and they were able to use it when there was a need for snow (1). In comparison, the organizers of the Vancouver Olympics used helicopters to transport the snow to various sites and they covered hay bales with snow on various tracks to create mounds (2). Despite the warm temperatures, Sochi managed to overcome the natural conditions by using artificial and stored snow.

Why would you want to transform a nice tropical destination to a location where you hope to have outdoor winter sports competitions? If the Olympics were hosted in a city better suited for winter competitions, the money spent on the snow making system could have been used for more important things, such as environmental protection. In any case, I think the palm trees and the nice beaches probably added to the festive Winter Olympic atmosphere!

Nevertheless, with climate change (variability) I feel that no matter where the Olympics would have been held, there would have been a risk of a lack of snow and warm temperatures. I think the Winter Olympics sites that are to come, are going to be increasingly difficult to select as global warming is becoming more prominent. The IOC needs to examine and take into greater consideration the climate of the future host cities for the Winter Games. I also think that an increasing amount of cities are no longer going to actually be able to hold the Winter Olympics, due to the climate. What does the future of outdoor winter sports look like with this unpredictable climate? Are some of these events going to withstand the test of global warming? Will we only be left with indoor winter sports such as speed skating, figure skating, hockey, and curling?

(1)http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/4/5377356/sochi-winter-olympics-2014-subtropical-transformation/in/5141015
(2)http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140221-climate-change-winter-olympics-global-warming-science/