Yogurt should be free

Russia’s Winter Olympics are not going well and they have just started. First, there was the dispute about Vladimir Putin’s insulting, homophobic comments before the games. First group offended. Then, they’re busy shooting stray dogs in advance of the start. Cue animal rights groups’ horror. But now, I suspect they¹ve messed with the wrong people. They’ve blocked 5,000 containers Chobani yogurts from reaching US athletes in Sochi. It is really too much to bear.

Unfortunately, New York State’s Chobani’s discovering what the Ukraine, Lithuania and other neighbouring countries have long known about Russia and its somewhat arcane and byzantine dairy importing laws. The country is well-known for using its certification requirements to block imports of products, in retaliation for some other political issues. So it is said. Everyone from president Obama on down is involved in trying to get the Russians to release the yogurt to the Olympic Village. I hope the Russian government will see some sense and just let them have the Chobani. Delicious dairy products should not be reduced to a political football. Free the yogurt!