Chiharu Igaya, head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission, told a news conference Friday in Sochi that Russia faces a challenge to be ready on time to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
The IOC officials have just completed a weeklong inspection of Sochi’s 2014 bid.
He said, “there are so many venues and facilities to be built in the future. You’ve got only seven years to go. To coordinate all of these works may be a challenge”.
The Associated Press reports that none of the proposed ice sports facilities and athlete accommodations are built, or the improved highways and light-rail system proposed to connect the mountain snow sports venues with the ice sports and main Olympic Village along the seacoast about 50 km away.
In the mountains a few ski slopes and lifts are in operation but many more would have to be built along with accommodations.
When asked about the strong points of Sochi’s bid, the Associated Press reports Igaya cited Russia’s long tradition of excellence in winter sports and strong political support.
The 13-member IOC commission is assessing the three candidate cities – Sochi, PyeongChang and Salzburg – using 17 basic criteria including transportation, technology, media facilities, environment and climate, finance, security, sports venues, and Olympic Villages.
Meanwhile Sochi 2014 issued a press release in which it pledges to do more than any previous Olympic bid to highlight the importance of Olympic ideals in the Russian classrooms with plans to launch a “significant, educational and teacher support program” and several other initiatives, should it win the bid.
