History has shown that the Russian people have always risen up from defeat and adversity to eventually vanquish their enemies. So shall it be again at the Sochi Olympics. Russia is fortunate to have Vladimir Putin as the PM, for he will ensure that the team that takes the field in 2014 will be competitive with the best the world can throw at them.

Sochi will be a poetic come back...

I guess this means that Russia will start preparing to buy off Olympic officials, like the bad old days. They have four years to do so.

Putin is right, we need some serious analysis on this one. There are issues with the management, with the sports minister, who has not supported our athletes and has been more concerned with building personal networks ... But it is the athletes, the ones at the sharp end, that I want to consider. For anyone to compete in the Olympics from any country is a great achievement for both themselves and their country, to achieve a medal is even better and to achieve Gold , which must be the driving force, is the top of the world. We did not do so well overall; I admire all our participants, and all medal holders, but I honestly think that it is the Gold ranking we should measure ourselves by, on that score we did much much worse than is being made out. There needs be realism here, not spin, we need prepare most of our athletes better, we need focus their activities for their future success, with both the athletes we have now and the ones coming through for the future. I actually don't see Sochi as the end, I see it as the beginning of a high class training centre for our athletes, a step to the future. Whilst of course it hurts that we have not performed so well this time, we have a great history of winning in these sporting areas, that would take many Olympics for others to overtake. So let's lick our wounds, and mend our bodies, let's use Sochi as our stepping stone to the future. We need set goals and deliver there, there are no excuses at all for not doing so, but also, I even expect better in the next Olympics after that. But the most imortant point; remember it is today, and today we need pull together for our sportsmen and women, take pride in the medals we have won and rejoice with the ones who will bring them home. I don't want to see the great achievements of these athletes bathed in the failure of others, for these are the ones who are carrying our torch in adversity. It's adversity that we eat for breafast! See you all next time around!

@Boris-Karloff .... buying people... is the western style ... we use to win fair ...

Every country should be proud of its sportsmen,but since sport and politics are now interwoven,there is'nt much sportsmen spirit about sport.ps probably nothing to do with contestents,just the garbage broadcasters and media which we now produce amongst humans.ps at leastsome of us or most in the public enjoy the ability of people,most could not care less if he russian,american,or any other,it is these human speciemens in the media and broadcasting ,which hav'nt a clue what a sportsmen stand for.

Sports can be a valid mirror of a society and its state of health. These games are quite telling in that respect. It's also a valid mirror in context with how a society reacts to disappointments. The whining and finger pointing at "conspiracies" and "western influence" has been pitiful-capped by the mullet haired Pluschenkos self-awarding of a "platinum" medal. Pathetic.

@Boris ... have you said something about my health there .... i'll give you a black eye anyday .. pathetic keyboard warrior

I love the Olympics....No country can dominate anymore....it is truly a competition between the best world athletes THAT year and who know what will happen in the next games....If you want to be the best then you have to work hard but that doesn't guarantee you will win gold. @ Alex LOL....NO....Sorry, "Buying People" has and will always been and will always be something Russia does better than any other country. @ Kihnu Too bad for you Vladimir Putin is not competing in the next Winter Games....right?

@Nuta ... obviously you don't know what you're talking about ... oh and i'm sure that your national "hero's".. Yushenko and Timoshenko ...after a failed political career.... will be trying to compete in the olympics ... it will be fun

Alex: "@Nuta ... obviously you don't know what you're talking about" I second that in all RT categories.