Media advisory: Faculty can speak about Russia, security, LGBTQ issues and international competition in advance of upcoming Olympics
LAWRENCE — University of Kansas faculty members are available to speak to the media about the upcoming Winter Olympics and related topics such as security and LGBTQ issues in Russia and improving medical treatment and care for Olympic athletes.
The Winter Olympics will take place Friday, Feb. 7, through Sunday, Feb. 23, in Sochi, Russia. There has been ongoing concern about security and safety of athletes and spectators after two bomb attacks carried out by suicide bombers killed more than 30 people in the southern city Volgograd.
Maria Omelicheva, director of KU’s Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies and associate professor of political science, can speak about security issues and concerns regarding the games. She has done a good deal of research in security in Russia and Central Asia, and she also specializes in state security and human rights, human rights law and nongovernmental actors of world politics.
Vitaly Chernetsky, associate professor in Slavic languages and literature, can speak about LGBTQ issues and Russia. A native of Odessa, Ukraine, he is an expert in 20th and 21st century Russian and Ukrainian literature and film. He also recently led a panel discussion on the Sochi Olympics and Russia’s record on LGBTQ matters. The country has received increasing international criticism for its record on treatment of homosexual and sexual minority citizens and other human rights issues in recent years.
Phillip Vardiman, assistant professor of health, sport and exercise science, can speak about athletic training, medical care and injury treatment for athletes. Vardiman has partnered with the U.S. Olympic Committee to study data on injury patterns for athletes in international competitions. His work aimed to identify the types of treatment provided by different medical providers, and evaluate injury patterns that could provide data to help keep athletes healthy and ready to compete. He has volunteered as an athletic trainer at several international events including the 2013 World Championships Track and Field in Moscow 2013, and the World Cup Race Walk competition in Russia, the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and America’s Cup Race Walk Championships in El Salvador.
Erik Scott, assistant professor of history, can speak about the history, politics and culture of the Caucasus region of Russia, the location of the upcoming Olympics. Scott has advised the U.S. State Department and the National Counter Terrorism Center on the region and international political dimensions of the 2014 Olympics. He also teaches classes on Russia's relationship to the region.
To schedule an interview contact Mike Krings at 785-864-8860 or mkrings@ku.edu.