The State Department’s dry warning to U.S. Olympic athletes belies a rather startling opinion about the overall security in Sochi, Russia, where the games will be held this winter. “The U.S. Department of State has advised that wearing conspicuous Team USA clothing in non-accredited areas may put your personal safety at greater risk,” the department wrote in a memo to athletes, which The Wall Street Journal obtained. Wait, really? Sure, the uniforms have an awful lot going on, but that’s probably not what the department means. It also suggested that athletes enroll in a department traveler program. But snowboarder Greg Bretz told The Journal, “I have so much faith in the United States and our safety that I’m not too worried about it.” If those athletes are brave enough to wear the uniforms on television, they’re brave enough to wear them anywhere.
