“Sochi's bid for 2014 Olympic Winter Games would be the first time Russia has ever hosted the Games. The bid carries the hopes and dreams of young athletes and the whole Russian nation. It would be a celebration of the new Russia and drive further positive changes in the nation. Above all, a Russian Games would inspire future generations of Olympic champions and millions of winter sports enthusiasts. The plans for Sochi are highly innovative and I offer the 2014 bid my full support.“

Irina Slutskaya is one of the most successful woman figure skaters in the history of the sport, having won a total of 40 gold, 21 silver and 18 bronze medals in her glittering career. A truly pioneering figure skater, she invented the double Biellmann spin with foot change and became the first woman to land difficult moves such as a triple lutz combination.

Slutskaya started skating at the age of four and in 1996 became the first Russian woman to win the European title. She won gold at the World Championships in 2002 and 2005 and became the first woman to win seven European titles in 2006.

Slutskaya narrowly missed out on a medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, but won silver in Salt Lake City in 2002, becoming the second Russian ever to win a medal in the women's event. She followed this with a bronze medal in Turin in 2006.

Slutskaya was born in Moscow.

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