Hosting the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi was a part of growing domestic and international Russian political presence that has taken place under the leadership of Vladimir Putin. Alongside military, political, and covert actions, the games served as a public facing form of ‘soft power’ for Russia. Hosting the games was part of asserting to the world and his people the might of a new Russia, Putin's Russia.

In this episode we worked with Stanis Elsborg and his research partner Andreas Juul Jeppesen to explore the symbols and messages embedded in the Sochi games. In turn this provides a lens through which we can reflect on the lasting effects of this new direction for Russia.

The episode is based on the collaborative work of Stanis and Andreas who co-authored a research project titled: Dreams of Russia - To what extent and in what sense was the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014 used politically with particular emphasis on the opening and closing ceremonies completed while at the University of Copenhagen in the department of nutrition, exercise, and sport.

Stanis' ongoing work in sports history can be found at: http://idraetshistorie.dk/

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