Life as a member of the bid committee for the Ukrainian city of Lviv for the 2022 Winter Games is not easy these days. 6 of them held a press conference this Sunday, February 9 in Sochi. Dressed in a jacket in the country's colors, a very Soviet pale blue, they presented in perfect order, switching from Ukrainian to English, the why and how of their Olympic project.

A clean and clear speech, where everyone was able to retain the idea that the Games would forever change the life and image of this part of the country, in the Carpathian region. “We need the Olympics to develop winter sports in Ukraine,” they insisted with one voice. “The Olympic event would allow Lviv and its region to grow suddenly and boost winter disciplines,” insisted Sergei Bubka, president of the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee.

Very diligent, a little borrowed ("this is our first try", whispered Sergej Goncharov, the brand new boss of the candidacy), they confidently detailed their concept. A system around two poles, the first in the city, in Lviv, where the ice events would be grouped, a second in the mountains, 150 km away, for everything else. They noted that the opening ceremony would take place in the stadium built for Euro football in 2012. Finally, they specified with pride that 95% of the athletes would be accommodated 10 minutes or less from the venue of their event.

Not bad. But, “Olympic dream” (their campaign slogan) or not, Sergei Bubka and his traveling companions could not avoid questions about the political situation in Ukraine. They expected it. But perhaps they did not anticipate that all the questions would revolve around this subject.

The exercise was not simple. Oleksandr Vilkul, the deputy prime minister, stuck to it without much pleasure, but without refusing the obstacle. “The Olympic ideal will take precedence over the political situation,” he suggested. We will soon solve our problems and we will be stronger. Our candidacy is unanimous in Ukraine, including in the opposition. I am convinced that the Games will help resolve the current situation in the right direction.”

Serguei Bubka also tried it, in English, trying to put weight on each word as if he wanted to anchor them to the ground. “We are still at eight in winter 2022. That gives us time to resolve the problem. Ukraine is a young country, which is experimenting with democracy. But I have confidence. Sports will bring people together.”

Convincing? Yeah.