MOSCOW, March 26, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study devoted to the fifth anniversary of the Sochi Winter Olympics.
Five years after, the Sochi Olympic Games are still perceived as a prestigious global-scale event (45%) and as a reason for national pride and athletes (44%).
Today more Russians think that the Olympics have been beneficial for the country (79%, an increase of 23 p.p. since 2013).Positive effects involve Sochi’s development and strengthening of region’s tourism appeal (from 30% to 43% for the recent five years). Positive consequences also refer to improvements in Sochi’s urban environment (24%).
Criticism related to the costs spent on the Olympics appears to be less common: today only 3% of respondents consider that the 2014 Olympics costs were too high for the budget; 1% believe that the costs did not pay off (only those who think that the Sochi Olympics did more harm than good to the country were asked).
The confidence that the Olympic Games provided impetus to sport development has reduced from 40% in 2014 to 33% in 2019. The share of those who think that the Sochi Olympics sport venues will stand idle has increased from 12% to 19% over the same period. Besides that, fewer Russians think that Russia’s global position strengthened due to the Sochi Olympic Games (a decrease from 51% to 35%).
VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on March 13, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
What did the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games mean for you personally? (closed-ended question, up to 2 answers, % of respondents) | ||
| 2014 | 2019 |
Prestigious event on a global-scale hosted by Russia | 50 | 45 |
Holiday, a reason for pride for Russia and its athletes | 37 | 44 |
Exciting sports event where all troubles fade into insignificance | 27 | 17 |
Very expensive international sport competition* | 11 | 17 |
Prove of the inability of the organizer to conduct an international event decently | 2 | 3 |
Tiring broadcasts of sport competitions occupying all the TV airtime | 3 | 3 |
Other | 1 | 3 |
Don’t know | 2 | 6 |
*In 2014 this answer option was “money wasting, nonsense event”
In your opinion, did the 2014 Sochi Olympics more good or harm to Russia?* (closed-ended question, one answer, % of respondents) | |||||
| 2010 | 2011 | II.2013 | XI.2013 | 2019 |
More good | 74 | 64 | 62 | 56 | 79 |
More harm | 11 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 10 |
Don’t know | 15 | 17 | 22 | 24 | 11 |
*In 2010-2013, the question was “In your opinion, will hosting of the Sochi Winter Olympics do more good or harm to Russia?” In 2010-2013, the survey was representative and nationwide, through the face-to-face method; a total of 1,600 respondents were surveyed.
Why do you think that the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games did more good? (open-ended questions, up 3 answers, % of those who think that Sochi Olympic Games did more good) | |
| % of those who think that Sochi Olympic Games did more good |
Sochi urban improvements / Roads repaired, airport reconstructed | 24 |
Russia’s recognition worldwide / the world got to know Russia from its good side | 22 |
New sport venues built | 19 |
National pride / High level organization / Our athletes won many medals | 18 |
Region’s tourist appeal strengthened | 12 |
Sports development across the country | 12 |
Attracting money to budget | 6 |
Opportunity to communicate with people from different countries | 6 |
New jobs | 3 |
Other | 5 |
Don’t know | 9 |
Why do you think that the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games did more harm? (open-ended questions, up 3 answers, % of those who think that Sochi Olympic Games did more harm) | |
| % of those who think that Sochi Olympic Games did more harm |
Heavy load on economy | 3 |
Money spent on things which are not needed | 2 |
Certain athletes were not allowed to participate / doping scandal | 1 |
Corruption | 1 |
New venues stand idle after Olympics | 1 |
Costs did not pay off; waste of money | 1 |
Environmental damage | 1 |
Other | 2 |
Don’t know | 0.4 |
In your opinion, what impact have the 2014 Olympic Games had on Russia? (closed-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of respondents) | ||
| 2014 | 2019 |
Sochi region’s development; planet-scale resort* | 30 | 43 |
Russia’s prestige, positions have strengthened globally | 51 | 35 |
It boosted the development of physical education and sports in Russia | 40 | 33 |
National identity, national pride strengthened | 28 | 20 |
Prices for housing, land, property in Sochi increased | 20 | 23 |
Many venues were constructed but will stand idle, and someone will have to pay for their maintenance | 12 | 19 |
Not enough money left to sponsor other important projects (social, etc.) | 25 | 15 |
Other** | 20 | 3 |
Don’t know | 2 | 6 |
*In 2014 the answer option was “Sochi economy has strengthened; investments came to the region”.
**In 2014 the “other” involved “Sport venues’ construction caused harm to the ecosystem of the Caucasus region”, “Corruption has flourished”.
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!