World press on Sochi games (February 25, 2014)

The Los Angeles published an article by Bill Plaschke headlined "Sochi Olympics are nearly flawless but devoid of joy."

"On a practical level, the Sochi Games were nearly perfect. Once the early hotel problems were solved, the Games ran smoother than any of the nine Olympics I have covered. The buses were on time, traffic was nonexistent, the arenas were clean and functional, the events occurred without a glitch and the feeling of safety was palpable," the author writes.

"After weeks of worry, the pre-Games fears of terrorism, infrastructure issues and ugly demonstrations never materialized," Plaschke writes. "But those fears, sadly, seemed to scare away the soul of the Games."

"The Ring of Steel instituted by Russian President Vladimir Putin successfully protected the Olympic Games but also excluded much of the Olympic magic," the article reads.

"The Olympics shouldn't be just a project. They should also be a party. Folks here were too cautious to party," the author writes.