Bob Costas
Bob Costas wore glasses on Thursday to conceal the appearance of an eye infection. USA Today

The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics officially began on Thursday, even though the opening ceremony would not air until the next night. However, Bob Costas, who is anchoring NBC’s coverage, made some news of his own.

Costas sported an unusual pair of glasses when he appeared on television. The broadcaster went on to explain the reason for his new look.

“Bear with me for a moment as I spare my friends in the press office countless inquiries," Costas said. "I have no choice to go all Peabody and Sherman on you for the next couple of nights since I woke up this morning with my left eye swollen shut and just about as red as the old Soviet flag. According to the NBC doctors here, it’s some kind of minor infection which should resolve itself by the weekend. If only all my issues would resolve themselves that quickly, but that’s another story.”

On Thursday morning, Costas was on the “Today Show” to discuss the beginning of the Games. Some viewers noticed that something was wrong with the broadcaster’s eye, and Deadspin.com wrote an article about it before Costas explained himself at night.

Costas’ eye infection is just one of many issues that media members in Sochi are dealing with. Throughout the week, those who made the trip to cover the Olympics have complained about poor accommodations. The phrase “#SochiProblems” has become popular on Twitter for those experiencing difficulties during their stay in Russia.