1. The Olympic flame went out 44 times

Russia's bold plan to run the Olympic torch for thousands of kilometres, including to the north pole, made it the longest run in history. But the flame kept going out, including in front of the Kremlin, just moments after Russian President Vladimir Putin helped light it.

2. An official Olympic hub isn't even finished

As of Sunday, Gorki Plaza — the transportation and housing hub for thousands of visitors — was still under construction. Organisers blamed 10 days of recent rain. 

3. No one knows how bad the environmental damage is

Environmental experts predict the breakneck construction in Sochi could cause significant environmental damage — but because of Russia’s opaqueness on the issue, they really have no idea how big the problem is. Observers from organisations like the WorldWatch Institute and the World Wildlife Fund, however, have voiced concerns about illegal waste dumping, contaminated drinking water, dangerous construction on unsound ground, light pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and disruption to native animal populations and habitats. 

4. Allegations of corruption with Olympic funds

Officials in Russia, and observers around the world, have accused organisers in Sochi of widespread corruption and mismanagement of Olympics funds. The Anti-Corruption Foundation, an opposition group founded by activist and politician Alexei Navalny, has gone so far as to publish an interactive map on all the alleged embezzlement.  

5. Woman displaced by construction mishap living in shack

A 58-year-old woman from outside of Sochi is living in an aluminium shack after construction errors caused her two-story house to collapse. She’s one of several demanding compensation for homes ruined, she alleges, by Olympic subcontractors. 

6. Construction workers deported, possibly unpaid

More than 100 construction workers from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina were detained and deported back to their countries — often, they claim, without being paid for their work. 

7. The mass campaign to "dispose" of stray dogs

Sochi’s stray dog problem is so severe that local organisers had to contract a pest control company to “catch and dispose” of the animals, which have been spotted everywhere from hotels to Olympic venues. Said Alexei Sorokin, the director of the pest control firm: “God forbid [a dog runs in the stadium] at the actual opening ceremony. This will be a disgrace for the whole country." 

8. Political activists barred from even watching

The Russian Olympic Committee denied fan passes to several Russian political activists — basically denying them any access to the games, even as spectators. 

9. Sochi filled with construction debris, unfinished buildings

Recent photos from the neighbourhoods around the Olympic Park, where athletes will live and compete during the games, show streets filled with rubbish, loose wires and uncovered manholes. 

10. Oh, and there may be loose terrorists

The US State Department issued a travel alert for the Games, after reports of three “black widow” suicide bombers targeting Sochi and several online threats from terrorist groups. 

11. Athletes say snow jumps are dangerously steep

Sochi organisers were forced to modify a snowboarding course after a top Norwegian snowboarder, Totstein Horgmo, crashed in practice and fractured his collarbone. Multiple athletes complained that the jumps were too steep. US snowboard halfpipe champion Shaun White pulled out of the Olympic slopestyle event on Wednesday, blaming the risk of the course. Horgmo, who had been a medal contender, will probably not compete. 

12. Photos of "Sochi problems" are going viral online

I see @barryap1 broke his doorknob... #SochiProblems #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/NkUeP0Pd64 — Sochi Problems (@SochiProblems) February 5, 2014

Public perception of the games online is so bad that a Twitter account called @SochiProblems has already racked up more than 11,000 followers. The account’s bio: “I’m a mess, and not prepared for you!” 

13. Journalists are live tweeting gross and hilarious hotel mishaps

Water restored, sorta. On the bright side, I now know what very dangerous face water looks like. #Sochi #unfiltered pic.twitter.com/sQWM0vYtyz

— Stacy St. Clair (@StacyStClair) February 4, 2014 

14. At least one hotel has no floor. But it does have a prominent portrait of Vladimir Putin.

15. Russian Olympics officials are not really controlling the story

One CNN producer who tweeted a hotel S.O.S. call to Dmitry Chernyshenko, the president of the Sochi organising committee, got this response: “media hotels are opened, undergoing final testing. Apologise for inconvenience. Pls contact press operations or accomodation service.” When the producer incredulously asked “can you believe this is the Winter Olympics?” Chernyshenko helpfully encouraged him to look around at the mountains and “believe.”