You're reading: Sports Blog: Sochi opening ceremony sparks controversy

Russian's Sochi held a grand three-hour Winter Olympics opening ceremony at Fisht Stadium on Feb. 7. 

Konstantin Ernst, the director of the ceremony, aimed to show Russia’s place through history. The spectators had a chance to check out Russian ballet, promoted during the film clip of  the Russian alphabet. They got to listen to opera, watch the Industrial Revolution, Russian pioneers and hipsters. 

The show was followed by a wide range of background music, mostly classical. The disbanded t.A.T.u group got together once more and took the stage for an earlier show. The once popular Russian band was known for its use of lesbian themes in their movie videos. 



Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina of t.A.T.u. perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics at the Fisht Olympic Stadium on February 7, 2014 in Sochi. AFP PHOTO / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

In 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a strict anti-gay propaganda law. The Russian government also banned all lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender protests during the Winter Olympic Games, making the musical choice of t.A.T.u unusual. Then the Russian team of 225 athletes was accompanied by the group’s famous song “Not Gonna Get Us.”

t.A.T.u was picked because of its international fame, Ernst explained during a press conference.  “The song (“Not Gonna Get Us”) is a symbolic one for every athlete,” Ernst said. “The sportsmen believe nobody going to get them and that can be kind of a motto.”

Kyiv Post staff writer Olena Goncharova can be reached at [email protected]