Vladimir Putin at Sochi: No shirtless photos as he tours ski slopes, hockey rinks

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who we know loves sports, was photographed the past two days trying out some of the 2014 Winter Olympic venues in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Putin had his setbacks earlier this week, with two suicide bombing attacks on the city of Volgograd. The international spotlight switched from the Olympic torch run to Russia’s terrorism and security issues in the run-up to the “Putin's Games."

Coverage of Russia's anti-gay law, mounting Olympic costs, and environmental concerns have also been part of the bad press.

After visiting Volgograd on Jan. 1 for a solemn moment, Putin travelled to Sochi on Friday and hit the ski slopes.

The oft-shirtless Russian leader, who has cultivated an alpha male image over the years by being photographed enjoying activities like fishing, horse-riding, hunting, swimming and hang gliding, was seen on Friday bundled up in a puffy ski jacket in the mountain resort of Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi.

The next day, Putin was photographed alongside former hockey stars including Pavel Bure and Vyacheslav Fetisov, in a friendly hockey match featuring former NHL players at Sochi's Bolshoy Ice Dome. The same day, Putin lifted a ban on demonstrations in and around the Sochi Olympics, after being widely criticized by human rights organizations. Some small protests will be allowed in designated areas, officials said.

The Slopes

The Russian president, who has cultivated an alpha male image over the years by being photographed enjoying manly outdoor activities like fishing, horse-riding and hunting -- shirtless -- was seen bundled up on the ski slopes of the mountain resort of Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi, Friday, Jan. 3, 2014. Putin made the trip just three days after visiting the southern city of Volgograd, which was rocked by two suicide bombings that killed 34 people. (RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

The Sun

Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, below, enjoy a glass of tea at the skiing and biathlon complex "Laura," on Jan. 3, 2014. The mountain resort of Krasnaya Polyana is located near the Black Sea resort of Sochi in Southern Russia. (RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

The Rink

The smallest guy on the team: one day after hitting the ski slopes at the mountain resort of Krasnaya Polyana, Putin, right, is photographed beside his Belarussian counterpart, President Alexander Lukashenko, centre, and Russian and Soviet hockey star Vyacheslav Fetisov, left. The three smile after a friendly hockey match against former hockey champions at the Bolshoy Ice Dome at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Jan. 4, 2015. (RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

The Final Shot

Putin, left, is seen fist-bumping Russian and Soviet hockey star Vyacheslav Fetisov before the friendly match between the Stars of the NHL 1 and the Stars of the NHL 2 teams at The Bolshoy Ice Dome, Jan. 4, 2014. (RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)