- Date
- 09 Feb 2015
- Tags
- Sochi 2014 , IOC News
One year on – IOC President praises Sochi success
“The Olympic Winter Games, Sochi 2014, were a great success. The Russians provided seamless organisation,” International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said, speaking on the first anniversary of the Games. “Sochi promised excellent sports venues, outstanding Olympic Villages and impeccable organisation. It delivered all that it promised. The athletes themselves praised every aspect. The highest compliment that I can pay – as I said at the Closing Ceremony – was that these were the athletes’ Games. One year after the Games, it is clear that Sochi provided many lasting legacies,” he added.
Sochi Legacy
There are many lasting legacies that resulted from the hosting of the Olympic Winter Games, Sochi 2014. There are now world-class sports venues available to elite and grassroots athletes. Before the Games, many Russian athletes had to train outside their own country because Russia no longer had the facilities after the dissolution of the USSR.
Russia’s ability to host international winter sports championships has been restored. As part of a seven-year contract, Sochi successfully hosted its first Formula One race last year in the grounds of the Olympic Park. A number of world championships and other elite sporting events have also been held in Sochi since the Games, including the FIL World Cup, FIBT World Cup, WCF Curling World Cup, ITF Fed Cup and Formula 1 Grand Prix. It will also host the 2015 SportAccord meeting this spring.
In addition to the Olympic Park being home to a new KHL team, FIFA 2018 World Cup football matches will also be held there. Sochi has been transformed from a regional summer resort to a modern, year-round sport, tourist and convention destination.
For a full report on Sochi and the legacy of the Olympic Winter Games click here.