International Olympic Committee : News

Luge athletes discover Sochi 2014 track

11/16/2012 7:00:00 AM

The track, which will host the luge, skeleton and bobsleigh events, is located in Krasnaya Polyna and runs through the northern slope of the Aibga Ridge, meaning that it is protected from direct sunlight.

The echo of the athletes after the first test was positive:

Athletes’ voices

Tatjana Huefner, 2010 Olympic and four-time world champion from Germany:
“I like the track very much. It is a fine but difficult track. Even though there’s still a big building site all around, it’s rather obvious that there’s a lot of progress.”

Andris Sics from Latvia, 2010 Olympic bronze medallist in the doubles together with his brother, Juris:
“We like the track a lot.[…].Here in Sochi the entrances and the curves are long so that you need to really control the sled. If not you’ll lose time. The sections going uphill are interesting, too.”

Felix Loch, 2010 Olympic and three-time world champion from Germany:
“I believe that, in the future, the track will be on the World Cup programme regularly and will see World Championships. When everything is completed, the visual impact of the venue will surely be great.”

About the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

The next Olympic Winter Games will take place from 7 to 23 February 2014 in Sochi, located by the Black Sea in Russia. Some 2,800 athletes will compete in seven sports, comprising 98 medal events. In order to test the 10 competition venues in the run-up to the Games, Sochi is hosting more than 60 test events between December 2011 and September 2013.

London 2012 technology debriefing ends in Rio de Janeiro

11/16/2012 3:14:00 PM

The London 2012 Olympic Games debriefing, led by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), got underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - the next Olympic host city in 2016 - this week, with three days of detailed discussion dedicated to the technology aspects of the Games.

The technology sessions (14-16 November) allowed the LOCOG Technology team and their technology partners, Atos, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung, British Telecom, Ofcom and Airwave, but also representatives from OBS, press agencies, International Federations and the International Paralympic Committee to share their knowledge and experience with representatives from Rio 2016, but also Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018 and their respective technology partners.

All other aspects of the Games will be looked at during the second part of the London 2012 debriefing (17-21 November). The final element of the programme (21-22 November) will be specifically for workshops dedicated to the Paralympic Games.

Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games taking shape with big winter season ahead

10/11/2012 9:30:00 AM

During its three-day visit from 9-11 October, the Commission paid visits to a number of the future Olympic venues, including the sliding centre, ski jump facility, cross country/biathlon area and the coastal cluster. The Commission was pleased to note that most of the venues are either nearing completion or are already in use.

With over 20 Sochi 2014-organised test events scheduled over the course of the winter, the venues and other Games infrastructure are set to receive their greatest assessment to date. Sochi 2014 President Dmitry Chernyshenko highlighted that the lessons learnt during London 2012, as part of the IOC Observer Programme, have also helped his team fine-tune their operational readiness preparations ahead of the Games.

“The venues have come a long way in a relatively short period since our last visit here, and we congratulate Deputy Prime Minister Kozak and Olympstroy for their work,” said Commission Chairman Killy. “We have also been impressed with the advances made in hotel construction and, in particular, transport. It all bodes well for a successful season of test events ahead, as well as for a great legacy left behind for the local population.”

The Commission reviewed all aspects of preparations for the different client groups, including athletes, International Federations, National Olympic Committees, marketing partners, spectators, the Paralympic Games and the media. Having conducted a detailed examination of Sochi 2014’s operational plans, the Commission said it was confident the organisers were firmly on schedule to deliver top-quality Games for all stakeholders in 2014.

President of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee Dmitry Chernyshenko noted: “We are currently focused on delivering the most robust test event schedule in the history of the Winter Games, with 47 different test events this season alone to check the venues and surrounding infrastructure to ensure we’re 100 per cent prepared.

We are already making great steps, having this month held the Federation Cup figure skating tournament at the Iceberg Skating Palace. Located in the Sochi Olympic Park, the event was the first test in the coastal cluster, and the venue attracted high levels of praise from the athletes competing.”

The Commission congratulated Sochi 2014 on its plans for the Olympic Torch Relay, details of which were announced on 7 October. The ambitious route will pass within an hour of 90 per cent of the Russian population during its record 65,000-kilometre journey, increasing interest in the Games ahead of the Opening Ceremony, which will be held in fewer than 500 days.

Russian Olympic Committee President Alexandr Zhukov also attended the meetings, telling the Commission that every effort was being made to field the strongest possible Russian team at the 2014 Games.

The Sochi organisers outlined the activities of the Cultural Olympiad and educational programme, and detailed their progress on volunteers. So far this year, Sochi 2014 has held 700 cultural events in 130 locations around Russia, with some 900,000 people attending. 2012 is the Year of Music according to the Cultural Olympiad calendar, with the Year of Museums planned for 2013.

The figures presented during Sochi’s volunteer update were no less impressive. Twenty-six volunteer “hubs” located around the country have received almost 120,000 applications so far, including around 4,000 from abroad. In addition, Chairman Killy and the IOC’s Executive Director for the Olympic Games, Gilbert Felli, met with the heads of the volunteer centres in Sochi and thanked them for their hard work.

On the educational front, some 600 teachers, librarians, partner representatives and other volunteers have already taken part in the “Train the Teacher” Olympic educational programme designed to address the challenge of bringing the Sochi 2014 Games to the entire country. Over 1,800 educational events have been held this year alone, and have reached around 10 million people.

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Sochi 2014 Torch Relay to be longest in Winter Games history

10/8/2012 2:18:00 PM

Over the course of the 123-day relay, the flame will travel more than 65,000km by foot, car, train, and plane, as well as on a "troika" – a traditional Russian sleigh – with approximately 14,000 torchbearers expected to carry it.

The relay will visit more than 2,900 towns and settlements across all 83 Russian regions – from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok – and will come within an hour of 90% of the country’s population, meaning around 130 million people will be able to join in the celebrations.

The route will begin in Moscow before visiting several important historic, cultural and picturesque areas of Russia, including Yasnaya Polyana, the Russian part of the Curonian Spit, the Avachinskiy Volcanoes and the Kizhi Museum Reserve. The relay will then culminate at the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games on 7 February 2014.

Speaking at the announcement of the route, Sochi 2014 President Dmitry Chernyshenko said: "The Olympic Torch Relay is one of the most important and magical Olympic occasions. It continues the build-up of excitement ahead of the Games and as well as spreading the Olympic values to the whole country, we will be creating, as a nation, an important part of Russian history. I am sure that the Olympic Torch Relay will be welcomed by a wonderful celebration in every city it visits. The Sochi 2014 Relay will bring the entire country together, highlighting the diversity and beauty of Russia, particularly, for the people of Russia themselves. For one day during the Relay, each town or settlement that the Olympic flame visits will become the centre of attention and it will be a unique chance to showcase itself to the whole world".

With less than 500 days to go, IOC Coordination Commission visits Sochi

10/8/2012 11:40:00 AM

Led by its Chairman, IOC member Jean-Claude Killy, the Commission will hear reports and spend some time visiting venues, as it works with its Sochi counterparts to help them prepare to welcome the world in February 2014.

A wider look

The updates from the Sochi organisers will include a look at specific areas such as venue construction, the Olympic Torch Relay, venue management, accommodation, transport and operational readiness, as well as a wider focus on the overall experiences of different groups at the Games, including the athletes, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, spectators and the media. This will allow the Commission members to understand the development of the Sochi project since their last visit in February 2012.

Venue development

As part of their visit, the Commission members will tour some of the venues in the mountains, including the national sliding centre, the “RusSki Gorki” Jumping Centre, the “Laura” cross country and biathlon centre, and the endurance village. This will permit them to see firsthand the development of these venues and get a better picture of how Sochi’s planning will be put into action.

Sochi 2014 Organising Committee reveals its slogan

9/26/2012 3:58:00 PM

The slogan aims to reflect both the national character of Russia and the values of Sochi 2014, by being dynamic and constant.

“Hot. Cool.” form the dynamic part of the slogan as these words can be used in a range of individual advertising campaigns to promote the Olympic event. They also symbolise movement, evolution and moving forward.

"Hot." also reflects the intensity of sporting battle and the passion of the spectators.

The word "Cool." references the fact that these are Winter Games, and alludes to traditional perceptions of Russia around the world.

“Yours.”, however, is constant – it will provide continuity across campaigns and develops the brand communication that Sochi 2014 is “my Games”. It also symbolises personal involvement and invites everybody to share in the achievements and the sense of pride created by the Games.

The President of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, noted: “The slogan of the Winter Games in Sochi, in my opinion, very successfully captures the diversity of Russia’s national character, and the very personal nature of this Games. The Sochi 2014 slogan demonstrates that it is impossible not to participate, watch, experience and be proud because this is Your Games.”

Sochi celebrates 500 days to go until Olympic Winter Games

9/25/2012 4:11:00 PM

A host of sports and music events tool place in 17 Russian cities, with the main attraction being an all-Russia national flashmob consisting of more than 12,000 Sochi 2014 volunteers drawn from the 26 Volunteer Centres. The volunteers participated in the construction of giant Olympic pictograms in squares, stadiums and indoor sports complexes of the various cities, having collected a total of all 22 images of Olympic sports.

Each pictogram was made using square blue-white shields that the volunteers held above their heads, turning around and combining them on the command of the event director. The largest-scale flashmob was held in Krasnodar, where 2,000 Sochi 2014 volunteers formed five pictograms on Theater Square: ‘Bobsleigh’, ‘Skeleton’, ‘Cross-country skiing’, ‘Freestyle cross-country skiing’ and ‘Ski Jumping’.

As well as the flashmob performances, each of the cities held a symbolic 500 metre relay representing one of the winter Olympic sports. The idea was the winning entry submitted to the All-Russian Contest "Scenario for a city event: 500 days to the Games", by Margarita Zharkova and Andrei Botsulko from the Sochi 2014 Volunteer Training Center at the Kuban State Technological University.

In Moscow, the relay represented ice hockey with participants completing the event in hockey helmets on roller blades, while in Sochi – the host city – participants demonstrated snowboarding by covering a set distance on skateboards.

The President of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, said: “We have reached another significant milestone: there are now only 500 days remaining until the XXII Olympic Winter Games. In fact, we have entered the finishing straight in our preparations for this extremely important event in Russia's history. I'm glad that this celebration has managed to involve, both in terms of spectacle and the scale, the whole country into Games preparations.”

Sochi volunteers learning from London Games Makers

8/12/2012 9:01:00 AM

Q. What have you been doing during the Games?
A. I am part of the Sochi volunteer team. There are about 80 of us who are volunteering here from different volunteer centres across Russia. We are working here as regular volunteers in different functions and we are exploring the Games and getting the experience of being Games Makers so we can learn and then use that knowledge and experience when we get back to Russia to prepare for the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014.

Q. How excited were you to be chosen as a volunteer for London 2012?
A. In the beginning, I couldn’t believe it. We had lots of meetings in Russia before the Games to prepare and get to know each other and we were really excited when we finally arrived in London. We were all smiling because we were so happy! For most of us, this was our first experience of an Olympic Games and so it was like our dreams had come true.

Q. What has been the highlight of the Games for you?
A. For me, some of the best moments are when we are working and when we are helping people. I’m working at the Main Press Centre, in the language service team, and I have been working with journalists from lots of different countries – not just Russia – so when I am helping them I realise that I am doing something good for them and it makes me happy. Another highlight for me was when there was a press conference with a Russian athlete who had won a bronze medal and I was translating for them. Everyone was looking at me and I was so proud to be next to them and to be part of it. But probably the nicest moment for me was when I was on the train home after one of my shifts and a lady that I had never met before saw that I was a volunteer and she thanked me for all my hard work. It was so amazing and unexpected. I told all of my friends about it.

Q. What can Sochi 2014 learn from the volunteer programme in London?
A. We can learn a lot. There are a huge number of people, so we can learn about how you work with all the volunteers together and how you prepare the volunteers in the training programme.

Q. Do you think the Sochi 2014 volunteer programme will have a positive influence on Russian society?
A. Yes, of course. Right now in Russia there are more than 25 volunteer centres, which were created as part of this new volunteer movement for Sochi 2014. More and more people are realising that the Games are coming and they can volunteer for the Games. And it’s not just young people – it’s older people too who want to be a part of it. I think it will increase the number of people who are involved in volunteering. People will see that it is fun and it does a lot of good. Our experience here sets an example and my friends have even been asking me how they can become volunteers as well.

Q. After your experiences in London, how much are you looking forward to Sochi 2014?
A. I’m looking forward to it more than ever. One of the most important things for me is using this experience in London in the future. During the Opening Ceremony we realised that it is only two years until it is Sochi’s turn and soon I will be teaching other volunteers how to be a good Games Maker. So I’m not only looking forward to the Games in Sochi, I’m also planning what we need to do after my experience in London.

Rogge visits Sochi.Park

8/8/2012 9:00:00 AM

After being welcomed by the Sochi 2014 staff and volunteers working in London, President Rogge was taken on a guided tour of the pavilion by Sochi 2014 President Dmitry Chernyshenko. Rogge was able to test out a number of innovative exhibitions in Sochi.Park, including a sliding track simulator and a 4D cinema. He was also able to witness a small part of the ice skating show that Sochi is putting on every day in its specially built ice rink.

With only 548 days to go until the Sochi Games open, the Russian organisers are preparing themselves to receive the full spotlight of attention, as the world switches its thoughts to the up-coming Games. Indeed, Sochi 2014 has over 220 staff and volunteers working and observing the London 2012 Games operations, so that they can take the experience of London and apply it to their own Olympic project. The Sochi project continues to advance well, with the first sports events already held last winter and many more to be held this winter on the Black Sea coast. It may be summer in London but Sochi is bringing its own unique winter flavour to the party.

Winter comes early to London

7/25/2012 4:30:00 PM

Led by their Organising Committee Presidents, Dmitry Chernyshenko and Jin Sun Kim, respectively, the two delegations showed Olympic projects at very different stages of development, with Sochi 562 days away, while PyeongChang’s Organising Committee was founded less than a year ago.

The Sochi experience

The Sochi 2014 presentation looked at a number of different areas of progress. They showed some impressive images of the advances being made in venue preparation, with events already taking place in the mountain cluster, and the coastal venues already well on their way to completion. Sochi will host 22 sports events this coming winter in order to make sure that all venues are fully tested before the Games in 2014, where 98 medal events will be held. Sochi 2014 is also focusing on the less tangible aspects of the Games, with many volunteers signing up for the Games, a small number of whom will be in London to gain experience; a very successful Cultural Olympiad, which is expected to reach one million people this year; live sites set up in 15 cities for London 2012; an Olympic Torch Relay plan that will reach all the regions of Russia and cover nine time zones; and Russia.Sochi.Park, where the Sochi delegation will help interested visitors learn about its project.

Metamorphosis

IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy also spoke about the changes taking place on the Black Sea coast, when he said: “The metamorphosis of Sochi and its region continues. Progress is considerable and we can only be impressed by the developments made over the last 12 months. This year alone, the building sites linked to the organisation of the Games have provided work to up to 55,000 people per day! Most of the venues should be delivered on schedule, and we can say, with confidence, that the competition venues that will host the athletes participating in the Sochi Games will be extraordinary.”

One year on

Having been founded only in October last year, the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG) presented the efforts that had been made in its first year of existence in order to give the 2018 project the best base possible from which to build. Despite the short time frame, POCOG has already created the structure for the Organising Committee; seen a special act established for the Games by the government; seen work start on a high-speed train track that will link Seoul and the host city; and the first steps have been taken to start building and designing the Olympic venues.

New Horizons

Commenting on PyeongChang’s project, Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg underlined the unity behind the 2018 project: “POCOG will be able to rely on very strong support from central and regional governments, including a large number of secondees. The unity between all key stakeholders shown during the candidature has clearly materialised on the ground over the last 12 months and this is a very positive signal for PyeongChang’s Olympic project.” She concluded by congratulating POCOG for its work: “Congratulations, POCOG, on the initial steps taken over the past year - we are glad to witness the materialisation of very promising and inspiring new horizons ahead of us and ahead of you!”