In six months the world’s eyes will be watching the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. Sochi, a black sea resort, will host the Winter Games February 7-23 and the Paralympics March 7-16.  Ninety-eight events in 15 sports will be held as Russia will welcome athletes and fans from around the world.

Like with any other Olympics, the excitement and the spirit of the games builds — but with scrutiny since the controversy surrounding the anti-gay ban has erupted. Will Russia be rid of its black eye with world watching?

The new anti-gay law signed by President Vladimir Putin in June of 2013 bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” and has already seemed likely to spark protests until the end of the Feb. 7-23 Winter Games.

The Associated Press went on to say that U.S. President Barack Obama, British actor Stephen Fry, and international gay rights groups have increased attention on Russia over its new anti-gay law. The International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said Friday that he is “comforted” by Russia’s assurance that the charter’s ban on discrimination will be respected. “We are going to inform now all the national Olympic committees and all the athletes who want to have clarity,” Rogge told reporters after addressing the U.N. General Assembly. Gay activist Nikolai Alexeyev told The Associated Press on Friday that he would petition the Supreme Court next week to contest the presidential decree banning rallies in Sochi as “violating our right of freedom of assembly.” The IAAF called on Russia to reconsider its views on gays, but said Wednesday that it does not want to raise political issues about the country’s new anti-gay legislation at the world championships.

The question remains: will Sochi be rid of its black eye in time to host the Games or it will be healed enough to welcome the whole world?

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A picture of Martin Richard, the youngest Boston bombing victim, hangs near the Boston Marathon finish line. He will be forever remembered not only on the baseball field but in the many hearts from around the world.

Looking at Martin Richard’s photo hanging at the memorial placed near the Boston Marathon finish line shows a cheerful boy holding a sign that read his name: Martin. The 8-year-old boy was waiting near the finish to see his dad, Bill, cross the finish line.

In a blink of an eye, the scene changed from a celebration of health and fitness to an act of terrorism. Among the three killed was Martin by a second explosive that went off near the finish. The explosives also seriously injured his 43-year-old mother Denise and his 7-year-old sister Jane.

Martin’s life was taken away by such a terrible tragic event, but his spirit lives on. Last Saturday, April 27, was opening day for  the Savin League Baseball team and paid tribute to Martin. What would have been a day of celebration for Martin’s first baseball game of the season with the Rangers was instead a celebration of his life. At McConnell field in Boston, family, friends, the Dorchester community and the Savin Hill Little League honoured this little boy who should have been either a pitcher or first baseman wearing his dark blue uniform hat, but instead his number 8 jersey was being remembered.

Last Sunday at the London Marathon and Vancouver Sun Run, which is Canada’s largest 10km road race, thousands of runners participated to honour the three who died, as well as the scores who were injured at the Boston Marathon bombings.

In Vancouver there were over 48,000 participants, despite rain which didn’t dampen the runners’ spirits.

I was at the Sun Run and witnessed many dressed in blue and yellow, Boston colours, with others wearing Boston Red Sox caps. I found comfort among the crowds while wearing my singlet from the 2005 Boston Marathon in support.

On May 5 The BMO Vancouver Marathon will hold a minute of silence at the marathon, half and 8km events. This is to pay tribute to those affected by the bombings at the Boston Marathon, including the victims, first responders and spectators.

What was supposed to be a celebration of running and health yesterday for Boston marathon participants and their families/friends turned out to be a war zone. Two loud blasts went off at 2:50 pm near the finish line – Boylston Street, just off Copley Square. A second bomb followed a few seconds later just 100 feet away. There was a huge cloud of smoke. Participants and their loved ones were sent running for cover.

It was over four hours and nine minutes into the race when the two explosions went off. There was absolute panic and chaos and phone lines were down, which prevented participants and family from contacting each other.

In the New York Times yesterday, Roupen Bastajian, 35, a Rhode Island state trooper and former Marine, recounted: “These runners just finished and they don’t have legs now. So many of them. There are so many people without legs. It’s all blood. There’s blood everywhere. You got bones, fragments. It’s disgusting.”

Three people are confirmed dead, including an 8-year-old boy now identified as Martin Richard. He was there watching his father run. There are over 100 people injured.

In a recent interview via email, Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1967, shared her story:

“It was awful. I had just finished a five hour broadcast and left the finish line and was back at my hotel when it happened, so I was safe and so was Roger (her husband) in the hotel press room. The hotel went into lockdown so we watched on TV and from our window. I am grateful not to be hurt but so sad for the tragedy and destruction of others.”

“We will mourn the dead and injured. I also mourn the Boston Marathon and how it’s now been brutally disfigured.”

Switzer adds, “The Boston Marathon matters in a way other sporting events simply do not. It started in 1897, inspired by the first modern marathon, which took place at the inaugural 1896 Olympics. It attracts 500,000 spectators and over 20,000 participants from 96 countries. Every year, on the big day, the Red Sox play a game that starts at the wacky hour of 11:05 a.m. so people leaving the game can empty onto Kenmore Square and cheer on the finishers. It’s not about celebrating stars but the ability to test your body against the 26.2 mile course, which covers eight separate Massachusetts towns and the infamous ‘Heartbreak Hill’ in Newton. It’s as much New England in spring as the changing of the leaves in fall. It’s open and communitarian and utterly unique.”

There were about 23,000 runners—2000 of whom were Canadian— who crossed the finish line before the first bomb went off.

The Boston Marathon will never be the same.