We unfortunately have to admit that at this point, in a city of half a million people, there is no proper sewage system, electricity supply or infrastructure.

What nasty, narrow-minded Russophobe could have possibly made that statement, do you imagine, referring to the beautiful cosmopolitan city of Sochi, proposed home of the 2014 Winter Olympics?

Obviously, it can't be true -- or else how could the International Olympic Committee possibly have awarded Russia the games? But who in the world could be so crazed as to issue such a nasty smear against lovely, charming Sochi?

Why, lo and behold! Shock and dismay! It was Russian "president" Vladimir Putin himself, as reported in the Moscow Times.

Hmmm . . . wonder if Putin let the IOC have that little tidbit of information before they decided to award the games, or after . . .

Oh well, after all they are Olympic athletes. Surely they can just keep their legs crossed for two weeks whilst in country, right?