Sochi: Warmest winter Olympics in history

The warm weather in Sochi, Russia is disrupting events at the winter Olympics and Athletes are voicing concerns that soft and melting snow is hampering their ability to compete. According to a report published in Voice of America, a training session for Alpine skiing downhill was cancelled to protect the snow, while mild weather conditions meant a slushy track for a Nordic Combined event. Some athletes in the men’s biathlon 12.5-kilometer pursuit Monday fell while skiing on a course softened by warm weather.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, the head of the Sochi Olympics, said on Tuesday that there was no need yet to use emergency snow reserves at mountain venues. "You know that we had a special program to secure the snow, and the snow is still there in some reservoirs that survived over the previous summer, so in case we will need some snow, we can use it from our reservoir." he said

The current conditions have put Sochi on track to be the warmest Winter Olympics in history. Sochi, a Black Sea resort city with a subtropical climate has an average February temperature of around 10°C. But on Monday, the maximum was about 16°C.

On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee lifted its ban on India that had been in place since 2012, when India's Olympic Association elected tainted officials. India elected new officials on Sunday, clearing the way for its flag to be raised in the Olympic Village. There are 98 medal events at the Sochi Games, 12 more than in Vancouver in 2010.