Moscow Increases Security; Sochi 2014 "Safest" Olympics Ever; Plans to Execute Stray Animals

(ATR)Around the Ringsrounds up Russia's top stories in Olympic sport, courtesy of our exclusive partnership with Sochi 2014 host news agency RIA Novosti.

Moscow to Heighten Security at World Athletics Champs

Moscow will heighten security for this summer's world athletics championships following the deadly Boston Marathon blasts, a sports official told R-Sport on Tuesday.

At least three people were killed Monday and 144 others injured, some critically, after a pair of powerful explosions ripped through a crowd near the finish line as the prestigious US race was still in progress.

"Naturally, tougher measures will be taken," said Vyacheslav Balakhnichev, the head of the All-Russian Athletics Federation. "We have high security anyway, but we will obviously draw conclusions from the incident in Boston," he added.

US authorities have launched a criminal investigation that they have also classified as a "potential terrorist investigation" Richard DesLauriers, a special agent with the FBI's Boston Division, was cited by CNN as saying.

"Terrorists don't choose any old target, but the more vulnerable areas from the security services' point of view. Sports events that take place in the open air are harder to protect because (attacks) can happen anywhere," Balakhnichev said.

The Russian capital has been rocked by major terrorist attacks over recent years including the 2010 Moscow subway suicide bombings that killed 40 people and the 2011 Domodedovo Airport suicide blast that killed 37 and injured more than 100.

The IAAF championships are to be held at Moscow's iconic Luzhniki stadium from August 10-18.

Sochi 2014 Chief Promises 'Safest Games in History'

Sochi 2014 organizers have issued unequivocal security assurances in the wake of the deadly Boston Marathon bombings, with the chief organizer promising the safest Games in history.

Russia is to beef up security in the Black Sea resort as of June 1 this year due to Monday's terrorist attacks.

"Those who will be at the Olympic Games in Sochi should know this: We will provide them with security," the CEO of the organizing committee Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday.

"The security system for the Games was devised with the participation of leading international experts. It conforms to the security demands of an event of this magnitude and has been repeatedly checked at test competitions and other events," Chernyshenko said.

Thursday will see the first games in the under-18 world hockey championships, the first test event for the Bolshoi Ice Dome and Shayba Arena, another dry-run for security operations ahead of the Olympics.

"We'll test this system yet again so that the Olympic Games in Sochi become the safest in history," Chernyshenko said.

Sochi Plans to Kill Stray Animals Ahead of Olympics

Sochi authorities have announced plans to exterminate more than 2,000 stray dogs and cats in the city ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, prompting animal rights activists to rally in their defense, RBC Daily said on its website on Wednesday.

According to the official Russian website for public tenders, the city administration of Sochi is prepared to pay more than 1.7 million rubles (about $54,000) for "work to catch and dispose of" more than 2,000 dogs and cats from 2013-2015.

Sergei Krivonosov, a United Russia representative from Sochi in the State Duma, confirmed in an interview with RBC that city officials consider it necessary to deal with the issue in order to ensure the safety of foreignvisitors and improve the city’s image. Unofficial data cited by the news website shows that from five to ten people seek medical assistance daily after being attacked by stray animals in Sochi.

Krivonosov said that though it would be more humane to invest in animal shelters, it would put an additional strain on the city budget.

"It’s obvious that there should be no animals on the streets. We have responsibilities to the international community," the lawmaker said. "Killing [the animals] is just a faster way to solve this task," he said, adding that he did not agree with the decision to exterminate the strays.

Krivonosov called on animal rights activists, who rallied on Saturday to demand "humane" ways of regulating stray animal numbers in the city, to come up with "realistic" proposals, adding that discussions on the issue are still ongoing.

Olga Noskovets, who organized the rally, said that killing animals is ineffective as their population quickly grows back to previous levels.

"For some time, there will visually be fewer of them, but it won’t solve the problem. Moreover, if you kill dogs and cats, the rat population starts to increase rapidly," she said.

The issue of animals was also in the spotlight on Tuesday, when the Russian State Duma approved in a first reading a bill imposing fines on those who violate the rules for keeping pets, such as not walking dogs in children’s playgrounds.

Compiled by Ed Hula III.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.