“Sochi 2014 is a technically excellent Bid that centres on the needs of athletes and would be a dream come true to compete in. I've already been extremely fortunate to enjoy incredible moments at the Olympics, but Sochi 2014 would be Russia's first ever Winter Games, despite being the world's largest winter sports nation. It will provide an incredible opportunity to showcase the 'new Russia' to the world and encourage further positive change, while also inspiring millions of youngsters to take up winter sports, for the good of the Olympic Movement.“

Evgeny Dementiev is a current Olympic cross-country ski champion, winning gold in the men's 15 km + 15 km pursuit event in Torino 2006. He also won silver in the men's 50 km freestyle mass start at the same Winter Games, finishing 0.8 seconds behind the winner Giorgio di Centa – the closest margin of victory in the history of cross-country skiing at the Olympics.

Dementiev began skiing competitively in 2001 at the age of 18. In 2003 he won two medals at the World Junior Nordic Skiing Championships, taking gold in the 10 km and bronze in the 30 km event. In addition to his two Olympic medals, Dementiev also took the bronze medal at the 2005 World Championship 4 x 10 km event.

Evgeny Dementiev was born in 1983 in Tayozhniy, Russia.

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