Vladimir Putin has long deplored the breakup of the Soviet Union, describing it as the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe" of the 20th century. Putin has taken a hardline stance on Chechnya, invaded Georgia, and threatened Poland with the installation of missiles on their border.
Putin and his ex-KGB buddies may rue the loss of land, peoples, extensive natural resources, social order, and geopolitical impact the Soviet Union had on Eastern and Southern Europe and the Middle East. Perhaps they also regret the loss of so many Olympic medals.
At the opening of the Olympics, Russians had invaded Georgia. They advanced almost to the pipelines that carry Kazakstan's and Azerbajian's huge oil and gas resources to the Black Sea and the West, and even attempted to bomb the pipelines.
When Putin visited the Russian village, he doubled the amount of money Russia would give the athletes for gold, silver, and bronze medals. Putin is an avid judo athlete and recently divorced his long-time wife to marry a much younger gold medal rhythmic gymnast.
China and the United States are vying for supremacy in the Beijing medal count. Russia seems a distant third. Should the Soviet Union have remained whole, this would be their total medal count so far:
|
|
Country |
|||||
|
|
|
31 |
36 |
35 |
102 |
|
|
|
|
47 |
17 |
25 |
89 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17 |
18 |
22 |
57 |
|
|
|
|
5 |
4 |
12 |
21 |
|
|
|
|
4 |
4 |
8 |
16 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
4 |
6 |
11 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
4 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Soviet Union 34 35 53 141
(Medal Count updated 8/22)
The Soviet Union as a whole would be dominating these Olympics were it still in place. Another consideration must be how team play would be affected by combining athletes from former Soviet countries. Ukrainian and Russian gymnasts would have to compete together. Lithuanian and Russian basketball players would be working under one flag.
A revitalized Russia with other Soviet Union countries' athletes may take medals away from the Chinese and Americans.
Perhaps Putin dreams of correcting the "catastrophe" and recovering more gold, silver, and bronze, reestablishing the Soviets' Olympic dominance.
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