The "flexible time" mentality is damaging to the Sochi Olympics.

(Baonghean) - Approximately 92% of tickets for the Olympic events have been sold, but only 81% of spectators have attended, according to the organizers. Many spectators arrived late, often just before or after the opening ceremony, leading observers to mistakenly believe that Russia's biggest winter sporting event lacked appeal, commented Aleksandra Kosterina, spokesperson for the host country. “Russian spectators don’t want to arrive early; they prefer to arrive close to the competition time. That’s why we’re having problems with empty seats in the stadiums and have lost about 10% of the audience,” Kosterina said.

Olympic Sochi

Security controls also meant spectators took longer to enter the stadiums. This year's Winter Olympics were previously considered a target for terrorist groups. Russia therefore deployed approximately 25,000 security personnel and invested $51 billion in the organization. "In the early days of the Games, people often had to calculate how long it would take to get to the competition venues and how long it would take to get through the security barriers. We will improve our communication to improve the situation," said Ms. Kosterina. According to the host country's spokesperson, around 30,000 spectators visited the Olympic Park during the first three days of competition. The organizers expect to generate at least $300 million over the 17 days of the Games.

NP