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Russian Winter Olympics Hit a Snag Over Time Russian Winter Olympics Hit a Snag Over Time
(about 17 hours later)
SOCHI, Russia — A year before the world’s top ski racers are due to rocket down the Rosa Khutor alpine track here in the Caucasus Mountains, a sharp debate is under way among senior Russian officials over how to keep time at next year’s Winter Olympics — not the time on the race clocks, but the actual time of day.SOCHI, Russia — A year before the world’s top ski racers are due to rocket down the Rosa Khutor alpine track here in the Caucasus Mountains, a sharp debate is under way among senior Russian officials over how to keep time at next year’s Winter Olympics — not the time on the race clocks, but the actual time of day.
The crux of the matter is how many hours ahead Russia will be — two or three — compared with most of Europe when Sochi holds the 2014 Winter Olympics. While the difference may seem slight, at stake are broadcast rights worth billions of dollars and the added viewership and profitability of showing the games in prime time.The crux of the matter is how many hours ahead Russia will be — two or three — compared with most of Europe when Sochi holds the 2014 Winter Olympics. While the difference may seem slight, at stake are broadcast rights worth billions of dollars and the added viewership and profitability of showing the games in prime time.
Also hanging in the balance appears to be the legacy of former President Dmitri A. Medvedev, now prime minister, who decided in 2011 that Russia should abandon daylight saving time, widening the gap with Europe for six months of the year. Also hanging in the balance appears to be the legacy of former President Dmitri A. Medvedev, now prime minister, who decided in 2011 that Russia should abandon daylight saving time, widening the gap with Europe for five months of the year.
Mr. Medvedev has watched many of his liberal-leaning policy changes be undone since his mentor, Vladimir V. Putin, returned to the Russian presidency last year. And Mr. Medvedev seems to view the time change as an important decision he wants to preserve.Mr. Medvedev has watched many of his liberal-leaning policy changes be undone since his mentor, Vladimir V. Putin, returned to the Russian presidency last year. And Mr. Medvedev seems to view the time change as an important decision he wants to preserve.
The topic is so delicate that officials of the International Olympic Committee recently denied asking Mr. Putin to revert to daylight saving time, and said they had asked only for Russia’s Olympics planning team to consider the issue.The topic is so delicate that officials of the International Olympic Committee recently denied asking Mr. Putin to revert to daylight saving time, and said they had asked only for Russia’s Olympics planning team to consider the issue.
And when reports emerged on Thursday that Mr. Putin had cut a deal with International Olympic Committee officials to resume daylight saving time next year, Mr. Medvedev spoke out publicly and with uncharacteristic force.And when reports emerged on Thursday that Mr. Putin had cut a deal with International Olympic Committee officials to resume daylight saving time next year, Mr. Medvedev spoke out publicly and with uncharacteristic force.
“The government finds a new correction of time in the current period unadvisable,” Mr. Medvedev told government ministers at a cabinet meeting.“The government finds a new correction of time in the current period unadvisable,” Mr. Medvedev told government ministers at a cabinet meeting.
He urged that the government consult medical doctors and other experts as well as measure public opinion before making another change.He urged that the government consult medical doctors and other experts as well as measure public opinion before making another change.
Of course, the outcome has real-life consequences for 140 million Russian citizens, who already grapple with the challenges of being spread across nine time zones.Of course, the outcome has real-life consequences for 140 million Russian citizens, who already grapple with the challenges of being spread across nine time zones.
In Moscow, leaving the clocks unchanged means that for much of the winter, people wake up in the dark, arrive at school and work in the dark and return home in the dark.In Moscow, leaving the clocks unchanged means that for much of the winter, people wake up in the dark, arrive at school and work in the dark and return home in the dark.
And for anyone working in the financial sector, it means an additional hour’s difference with London and New York — lengthening the workday.And for anyone working in the financial sector, it means an additional hour’s difference with London and New York — lengthening the workday.
“In Moscow it’s unbearable,” said a senior Russian official who asked not to be identified while sharing a personal opinion. “It’s really unbearable. You simply lose your living power, because you don’t see sun. You don’t see light.”“In Moscow it’s unbearable,” said a senior Russian official who asked not to be identified while sharing a personal opinion. “It’s really unbearable. You simply lose your living power, because you don’t see sun. You don’t see light.”
To be sure, Russia has always taken an idiosyncratic approach to time.To be sure, Russia has always taken an idiosyncratic approach to time.
Official railroad schedules are printed only in Moscow time, and arrivals and departures are similarly shown that way on electronic billboards in every station — even in cities like Vladivostok, seven time zones away in the Far East.Official railroad schedules are printed only in Moscow time, and arrivals and departures are similarly shown that way on electronic billboards in every station — even in cities like Vladivostok, seven time zones away in the Far East.
Mr. Putin has not publicly stated a position on the time issue, though the decision is his to make.Mr. Putin has not publicly stated a position on the time issue, though the decision is his to make.
On Thursday, he was here in Sochi with officials from the International Olympic Committee, presiding over a celebration to start the one-year countdown to the games. On Thursday, he was here in Sochi with officials from the International Olympic Committee, presiding over a celebration to start the one-year countdown to the Games.
Also on Thursday, new details emerged of Mr. Putin’s fury over construction delays and cost-overruns for a ski-jump that is part of the Olympics mountain cluster. Also on Thursday, new details emerged of Mr. Putin’s fury over construction delays and cost overruns for a ski jump that is part of the Olympics mountain cluster.
The cost had soared from a projected $400 million to about $2.4 billion.The cost had soared from a projected $400 million to about $2.4 billion.
In a video of Mr. Putin touring the site on Wednesday, he appeared incredulous, repeating aloud the amount of the projected cost overrun.In a video of Mr. Putin touring the site on Wednesday, he appeared incredulous, repeating aloud the amount of the projected cost overrun.
“Well done,” he said sarcastically.“Well done,” he said sarcastically.

Nikolay Khalip contributed reporting.

Nikolay Khalip contributed reporting.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: February 8, 2013

An earlier version of this article overstated the number of months during the year that Russian and European clocks are out of sync. It is five months, not six.