If it weren’t for the questioning of Russia’s human rights record, accusations of homophobia, and its horrendous organisational skills for one of the world’s biggest events, you’d almost feel sorry for the fact the Olympics in Sochi have been slated online before they’ve even begun. Not for us, however.
Sochi itself a pretty strange place to host the Winter Olympics, as it sits in a temperate climate on the coast of the Black Sea and everybody apart from the Russians themselves have come to realise this.
As journalists arrived for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Twitter was awash with images showcasing the hilariously bad organisational skills, with many rooms not having basic amenities, like lighting and running water.
One particular highlight has been the bizarre coziness seen in bathrooms.
People also found time to find some strange English translations featuring none other than Anton Chigurh.
When precious journalists are not posting pictures of rushed contractor’s plumbing work, the issue regarding human rights abuses, alleged corruption and the fact the Winter Olympics is being hosted in a city that features a beach resort has given meme creators plenty to work with.
The internet is certainly not a body of people to hold back. With questions over why the Olympic Committee would choose to have a tournament in a country with a controversial head of state, a look back to 1936 might suggest it’s not the first time.
Scrooge McDuck’s Russian cousin was even suggested as the tournament’s mascot.
What’s that you say? You want to see memes about the actual sporting events? Right, we had almost forgotten about that. Just like in the regular Olympics, a few nations completely dominate in terms of entries and winners’ medals. When it comes to the Winter Olympics, one of the few nations who makes bookies immediately pay out on certain sports is Canada.
One sport that fails to bring amusement to the many nations who don’t play it is curling. Yet for nations like Canada, Norway and Austria, they’re sick of hearing about it, so much so they decided to recruit the armies of Winterfell to fight their battle.
Some have even over-analysed the entire Games themselves as something involving a lot of sliding. I guess it’s true when you think about it.
And finally, while the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics gets under way today, one ambitious skater hopes to make himself a late addition.
Watch this space for a round up of some of the Winter Olympics memes once a number of athletes and TV directors have made a show of themselves. We can’t wait.
