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IOC satisfied with progress for Sochi 2014
The IOC Coordination Commission for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games wrapped up its seventh visit to Sochi, Russia, earlier this week as local organizers begin the transition from the construction and planning phase of preparations to the operational readiness phase.
The Coordination Commission began its three-day visit by taking in the first FIS Alpine Ski World Cup event held in Russia, at Rosa Khutor - the future home of the Alpine ski events for Sochi 2014 - and meeting the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, who reiterated the state's strong support for the 2014 Games.
Speaking after the World Cup event, 723 days away from the start of the Sochi 2014 Games, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy described the venue as "one of the most spectacular downhill courses on the World Cup circuit." Altogether the venue was well received by the Commission, the event garnered positive reviews from athletes, team delegations and the media.
"The Sochi 2014 venues and operations will be tested, re-tested and tested again over the next two years. We have now seen two of the most difficult sports events to stage on the winter Olympic programme take place on these new Olympic courses," said Chairman Killy, referring to the downhill and super combined. "The fact that the venues have been so well-received is a credit to the five years of hard work undertaken by the local organisers and their partners, their teamwork and their ability to deliver."
Over 60 sports events are scheduled to take place in Sochi before the start of the Games on 7 February 2014.
"We are convinced that the Games will run smoothly in two years as numerous pieces of the very complicated puzzle have now been put together. There are no burning questions to be handled, possibly a few difficulties here and there but that's typical for all Games," Killy commented further.
"If you really wish to compare Sochi to Vancouver, London or Rio, you always find the same parameters such as transport, lodging, security, a smooth flow of the event in general. Delivering the Olympic Games, especially Winter Games, is certainly the most complex operation to be handled in the sports' world, which we should never forget."
"The IOC has been criticized after giving the Games to Russia even though there was nothing in place but we see our main role as the development of the sport, in this case the development of winter sports. I think it was an excellent decision as you couldn't find a true alpine ski resort in the entire country. Indeed, the main winter sports in Russia have always been Ice Hockey, Cross-Country Skiing or Ice Skating. Today it's exciting to know that 145 million Russian people will also be able to know more about Alpine Skiing and with time practice it in good conditions here."
The Commission also paid visits to a number of other Games venues, including the freestyle, jumping and sliding centres, the Olympic villages, the Olympic stadium, and the Olympic park. While there is still plenty of work to be done, venue and related infrastructure construction is on the right track to be ready for the Games.
IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli commented: "We have been very impressed by the quality and detail of the presentations that have been made this week. The Sochi 2014 team is of the highest calibre and we can see that they have excellent relationships with their stakeholders, which is crucial to the successful delivery of the Games."
Includes contributions by IOC and Patrick Lang