The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXII Olympic Winter Games, is an international winter multiple sports event that will be celebrated from February 7 to February 23, 2014. The host city, Sochi, Russia, was elected on July 4, 2007, during the 119th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Guatemala City, Guatemala. This will be Russia's first time hosting the Winter Olympics (the Soviet Union had previously hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow). As well, this will become the first Winter Olympics ever held in the subtropics.

Monday, February 11, 2008

British Embassy in Russia Co-hosts Inward Mission for Sochi 2014

Seminar on Delivering Major Sporting Events to Be Held With British Suppliers. Their Experience from London 2012 Important to Success of 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi

The British Embassy, in collaboration with the Russian Association of Sport Infrastructure, today organized the “UK Trade & Investment Major Sporting Events Seminar” in Moscow. This event aimed at sharing experience on all aspects related to successfully delivering a world-level sport event, from choosing the appropriate construction contractors to risk management and new technologies to be implemented, as well as introducing British companies to the preparations for the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Olympic Games.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 Chief Executive Officer, attended the seminar and commented:

“We are here to listen, learn and share expertise and know-how with professionals who closely monitor the planning for London 2012; as we are currently moving from planning to implementation, the preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi are on track and in many areas are ahead of schedule. However, we are not complacent; we are taking full advantage of every day, in order to deliver innovative Games and leave a lasting legacy to the Olympic Movement, to Russia, Sochi and the surrounding area. This seminar highlights the enormous potential for cooperation and we will consider carefully all recommendations and opportunities presented by such international experts”.

Following the seminar, the delegation of representatives from British companies Arup, Atkins, DLA Piper, Eversheds LLP, HOK Sport Architecture, Industrial Design Associates Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ltd, Mace International, Mott MacDonald, Octopus TV Ltd, Pinsent Masons and PmpLegacy visited Moscow and the Krasnodar Region, met with the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, the State Corporation “Olimpstroy”, a state body responsible for construction works of Olympic Venues and infrastructure for the Games, and experts from the Ministry for Economic Development and Trade of Russia.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Sochi 2014 Marks 6-year Countdown to Opening Ceremony by Announcing Plans for the Future

Today, with exactly 6 years to go until the Opening Ceremony for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Sochi 2014 summarizes the progress to date and next steps ahead.

Commenting on the 6 year countdown Dmitry Chernyshenko, CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee said:

“With only 6 years to go, every day counts as we prepare to welcome the world to the Opening Ceremony in Sochi, which will take place in the Olympic Stadium situated in the most compact Olympic Park in Winter Games history.

I am delighted to say that the preparations for the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are on track and in many areas Sochi 2014 is ahead of its ambitious schedule. Sochi 2014 is currently in the ‘foundation planning’ phase and is preparing to enter into the ‘operational planning’ phase.”

According to Chernyshenko some very strong achievements have been made since the city won the right to host the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in July 2007, these include:

* The establishment of a professional and strong administrative structure of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee, The State Corporation for delivery of construction, all of which is overseen by the Presidential Council
* The legal basis for the Games organization and management has been created and approved
* The decision of the latest Presidential council to facilitate the creation and implementation of the Olympic Intellectual Property protection programme
* The implementation of a special visa procedure for facilitating fast track entry into Russia for the Olympic Family, media and International experts working with Sochi 2014
* All construction work and key challenges involved in the first stage of the Games preparations were completed on schedule (for example the first stage of construction works for Gazprom, including 51 facilities were completed at the end Dec 2007
* ) An ongoing close and strong working relationship with the IOC, key members of the Olympic Family and the Sochi 2014 IOC Coordination Commission (the next IOC Coordination Commission visit to Sochi is scheduled on 21-23 April 2008)

The key objectives for the months ahead include:

* Development of the programme protecting Olympic and Paralympic Intellectual property rights against ambush marketing
* Development of the Games Foundation Plan which will act as a detailed manual for all Games preparations and venue construction agreements
* Development of the first detailed budgets and organisational structures for the planning phase
* Development of the Marketing Plan and signing of the Marketing Plan Agreement with the IOC
* Continuation with the existing priority venue and infrastructure construction according to schedule

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Vladimir Putin held a session of the Council for the Development of Sport and the Preparation of the 2014 Olympic Games

Opening the session in Sochi, the Head of State emphasized that creating new sport and recreational zones in the Sochi region is in both Russia's long-term interests and those of its citizens, namely by creating the necessary conditions for engaging in physical education and sport, recreation and improving the nation's health.

The President emphasized that when preparing the Olympics it is necessary to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. Vladimir Putin believes that constructions in Sochi need to take all available international experience into account but also integrate the newest certified social standards.

Regional Development Minister Dmitry Kozak, head of Rossport Vyacheslav Fetisov, and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov all made presentations at the Council session.

Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Kudrin, a number of federal ministers, President of the Russian Olympic Committee Leonid Tyagchev, CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee Dmitry Chernyshenko, Head of the State Corporation “Olimpstroy” Semen Vainshtok, heads of Russian sports federations including Athletics, Alpine Skiing and Snowboard, Cross-country, Figure skating, Luge, and Russian Skating Union all took part in the session.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Presidium of the Presidential Council Discuss Sochi 2014 Games Preparations

A meeting of the Presidium of the Presidential Council on Physical Culture and Sport, Elite Sport and Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Preparations took place today in Sochi. The meeting was opened by Prime Minister Zubkov and followed three days preparation work by the members of the Presidium in Sochi. Sochi 2014 CEO, Dmitry Chernyshenko, presented a report on the protection of Olympic and Paralympic Intellectual Property and the forthcoming IOC Coordination Commission visit.

Chernyshenko stressed that Russia, as the proud hosts of the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, are responsible for protecting Olympic and Paralympic Intellectual Property (belonging to the IOC and IPC). Chernyshenko emphasized that the Olympic symbols and copy right (including but not limited to “Olympic Games” and “Sochi 2014”) should be protected in both Cyrillic and Latin. The Olympic and Paralympic Intellectual Property is protected in Russia by the Olympic law. The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee has proposed measures for monitoring and controlling the usage of Olympic and Paralympic Intellectual Property.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games marketing programmes are a means of bringing vitally important income to our country which has the honour of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The money gained from the implementation of marketing programmes is later re-invested into sports across the country", said Chernyshenko.

Chernyshenko also discussed the upcoming IOC Coordination Commission visit due to take place on April 21-23, 2008. The aim of the visit is to make sure Russia is meeting its obligations as the host of the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The IOC Coordination Commission’s report from the visit will then be presented and discussed at the following IOC Executive Board meeting.

The members of the Presidium today have been preparing for the Presidential Council meeting that will take place tomorrow (5th February 2008). Tomorrow’s meeting will include reports on the status and outcome of the tasks set out at the previous Presidential Council meeting, such as the progress on the construction programmes for the Olympic facilities and the preparations for Russia’s winter athletes for Sochi 2014.