Only In The West Is It A Big Deal That President Putin's Mistress Carried The Olympic Torch

The president's girlfriend Alina Kabayeva holds the Olympic flame aloft at the opening ceremony. Reuters

Sochi Winter Olympics 2014: President Putin's Lover Alina Kabayeva Carries Olympic Torch -- International Business Times

Putin's Secret Girlfriend Takes Centre Stage at Olympics Opening Ceremony

While the spectacle of the world's most expensive Olympics, with its inflatable St. Basil's, technical glitches, unceremonial slip-ups and surreptitious signs of protest, had a global audience captivated, all eyes were on the torch bearers, in particular, gymnast Alina Kabayeva, who also happens to be President Vladimir Putin's girlfriend.

Putin had earlier refuted suggestions that Kabayeva would be afforded the special privilege of wielding the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony.

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My Comment: None of my aunts/uncles/cousins in Russia were surprised that Putin's mistress/wife carried the Olympic torch .... and neither was I. I also never expected her to light the Olympic torch .... that would have been a little too much. As a result there will be zero fallout from this .... everyone knows that Putin wanted to please his girlfriend .... and he did so in a spectacular fashion. As to the question .... was this the right thing to do? Putin's opponents will make "hay of it" and his supporters do not care .... as for my opinion ....I live in Canada now and it is good to see that somethings have not .... cough, cough .... changed back home in mother Russia.