Vladimir Putin criticizes Russia's Olympic program

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday criticized Russia's effort in the Vancouver Olympic Games, echoing statements made earlier this week by the country's president.

During a government meeting to examine Russia's disappointing Olympic performance, Putin called for an overhaul of the country's Olympic program, aiming for a system that incorporates the best aspects of the "Soviet system of training athletes" along with modern facilities and better coaching.

Putin said he wants the country to build more sports facilities and increase coaches' salaries. He also attacked Russia's effort in Vancouver, stating the country spent $117 million over three years in preparation for the Games.

"I have got an impression that the more money we spend, the more modest the results are," said Putin, telling reporters the country spent five times more on the Vancouver Games than it did for the 2006 Olympics.

He went on to stress the importance of a Russian turnaround at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

"Sochi is our national project, and we will pay the maximum attention to that," Putin said. "Millions of fans are waiting for our team to become the winner. In any case, it must be among the leaders in Sochi in 2014."

Earlier this week, Russia President Dmitry Medvedev called for the resignation of the country's top sports officials. Leonid Tyagachev, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, resigned Wednesday.

Russia won 15 medals in Vancouver and finished sixth in the medal standings -- its worst result since the breakup of the Soviet Union. From 1956 to 1988, the Soviet Union never finished lower than second in the medal count.

-- Austin Knoblauch

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Vladimir Putin speaks during a government meeting in Moscow on Friday. Credit: Sergei Chirikov / EPA

Comments

[Jim haynes]

Russia's athletes are going through an apathetic malaise brought on by the direction their country is going. The trickle down effect of politics is taking its toll on the trainers and the athletes, due to the fact that Russia is taking a back seat to other world powers who are flexing their muscles and the growing disrespect from its neighboring war torn nations.

Change is having a universal affect on every nation and its people whether it be positive or negative. Sometime and somewhere the people will eventually speak out or die out if they want to keep the precious freedoms they currently have in place. The One World Government theme is distracting to all and will bring about irreparable harm to every sovereign nation which desires to retain their well earned identity. The identity they have developed and established over the course of many painful centuries of individual and communal sacrifice. Mr. Putin will have to look beyond the sports deficit in order to remedy the problem if he wants positive change.

Jim, one of many

[Sam Smith]

Let's not read too much into Russia's poor medal performance.

After all, Japan also had a dismal showing at Vancouver. It is also going through a similar soul-searching as Russia is at the moment, trying to understand why it didn't do better.

Winning Olympic gold medals is a complicated business, even for rich democracies.