Dmitry Chernyshenko, chief executive of Sochi 2014, confirmed Saturday that neither Russian President Dmitry Medvedev nor Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will be attending the Closing Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
There are reports that the two were upset over Russia’s performance at the Vancouver Games, but Chernyshenko insisted both had been closely involved with Sochi 2014’s bid.
Chernyshenko said he couldn’t comment on the travel schedules of state leaders, but said a number of high-level officials would be present at the Closing Ceremony, including the mayor of Sochi.
Friday Putin said he was disappointed at Russia’s mediocre performance at the Games, reportedly vowing personnel changes to get better results at the Sochi 2014 Games.
Medvedev’s top foreign policy aide Sergei Prikhodko had no comment on Russian media reports that the Russian president had cancelled plans to go to the Closing Ceremony because of the country’s poor performance. He said the Kremlin never officially announced Medvedev’s plans to go to Canada, adding “maybe there were plans, we have tons of plans, we are not going to Vancouver”.
Meanwhile a source familiar with planning told AFP that Medvedev, who is going to France Monday for a three-day visit, was initially supposed “to fly directly from Vancouver to France on Monday, March 1”.
