A bizarre public competition in Russia has drawn widespread attention after footage emerged of contestants drinking a fizzy drink from toilet bowls in a busy shopping centre. The event, dubbed the 'Game of Thrones,' took place in Stavropol, a city in southwestern Russia, with the winner receiving approximately £950 in cash.
Contest Details and Local Reaction
The video shows participants hunched over toilets, waiting for the organiser's command before diving forward to drink from the bowl. The fastest drinker was declared the winner. A local report confirmed that 'participants drank a non-alcoholic sparkling drink from a toilet bowl for the fastest time.'
However, the competition has frustrated some local residents, who argue it creates a 'bad image' for their city, according to The Sun. Critics say the stunt trivialises hygiene and reflects poorly on the community.
Link to Russian Soldiers Looting Toilets in Ukraine
The contest comes amid reports that Russian soldiers have been stealing toilet bowls during their invasion of Ukraine. Citizens returning to liberated areas, such as the Kharkiv region, have found their homes ransacked, with toilets missing. Workers at a Nova Poshta courier service branch in Kharkiv discovered the toilet bowl gone from the bathroom, and armed men are believed to have looted a newly installed toilet from a local factory.
Alexander Nevzorov, an exiled Russian journalist, commented: 'The white porcelain toilet became an integral part of the image of the Russian army. Russian soldiers might easily kill to seize a captured toilet.' He added: 'But as the video shows, ordinary Russians are also capable of much. It’s frightening to imagine what these people would be willing to do for more money.'
Statistical Context and Ukrainian Mockery
According to data from Rosstat, the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, around one in five Russian citizens live without indoor plumbing or sewage systems. This has led many soldiers, often from remote regions, to view toilets and basic sanitary systems as high-value items.
Ukrainian leadership has mocked the Russian military, turning the 'toilet bowl' into a symbol of the war. President Volodymyr Zelensky has used it in speeches, stating on one occasion that the 'biggest Russian dream before dying is now stealing a toilet.'
