From the New York Times on Michael Barbaro, this is the Daily.

Today, this weekend at the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics, 169 plainly dressed

athletes marched out in drab gray coats and blue jeans, competing not for a country,

but under the name Olympic athlete from Russia.

What Russia did in the last winter Olympics to earn them that punishment?

It's Monday, February 12th.

Mr. President, members of the International Olympic Committee, distinguished guests,

a ladies and gentlemen.

So summer of 2007, and Vladimir Putin is personally lobbying to bring the Winter Olympics to Russia

for the first time.

Rebecca Ruiz is an investigative reporter at the Times.

He gives an impassioned pitch, saying,

This is the place for them.

But up in the mountains, it's winter.

I went skiing there six or seven weeks ago, and I know a real snow's guaranteed.

This is where you want the games to be.

Our national pledge to you is the choice of Russia, isn't the best choice.

He even seeks to connect the origins of the Olympic Games to Sochi.

The ancient Greeks lived around Sochi lots of centuries ago.

The last time that the Games had been in the country was in 1980 in Moscow.

Games at the United States had boycotted.

Mill of Cold War?

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