Russian Official Reveals That Hotel Surveillance Video Records Shower Activity « CBS DC

Russian Official Reveals That Hotel Surveillance Video Records Shower Activity

Russian Official Reveals That Hotel Surveillance Video Records Shower Activity

February 6, 2014 2:23 PM

 

WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) – While talking with a reporter covering the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, the deputy prime minister of Olympic preparations revealed that video surveillance equipment is documenting shower activity in hotel rooms.
“We have surveillance video from the hotels that shows people turn on the shower, direct the nozzle at the wall and then leave the room for the whole day,” the official, Dmitry Kozak, was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal.
Kozak’s interview was cut short when an aide pulled the reporter away from him before he was able to ask more questions on the matter.
A spokesperson for Kozak told WSJ that there is no surveillance in hotel bathrooms and that Kozak was referencing the surveillance during construction of the hotels.
Kozak’s comment came while he was addressing concerns and gripes made by reporters who took to social media regarding problems with their hotel rooms, which included issues with water quality, the functionality of toilets and the lack of heat, among other problems.
In addition to qualms with the accommodations, some have expressed concerns regarding security for the event.
Not everyone is worried, however. Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney believes the Olympics should be safe, despite threats of terrorism in Russia.
“Well there’s no such thing as 100 percent security anywhere in the world,” Romney told The Associated Press on Saturday. “At the Sochi fields of play there will be very adequate security.”
Romney, chief executive of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, said that the security for the 2014 games is far more intense. He said that Sochi has 40,000 security personnel, which is about 10 times the security at the Salt Lake City games.
But he said that the presence of security only goes so far.
“Ultimately it’s the intelligence work that goes into protecting the venues and games, or the sporting event that has the most impact,” he said.
The opening ceremony for the Olympics will take place Friday.