Press Center

The Sochi 2014 Supervisory Board chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Alexander Zhukov, met today at the White House in Moscow. Participants discussed the achievements of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee in 2009, and took a series of strategic decisions for the year ahead.

The key topics covered were funding, training of Winter Games personnel and the Sochi 2014 Volunteer Program.

Chairman of the Sochi 2014 Supervisory Board and Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Alexander Zhukov, said:

“Preparations for the Winter Games in Sochi are going in strict accordance with plans. The high ratings received following the regular visits of IOC and IPC experts are a strong demonstration of our excellent progress.

“This year, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee has implemented a number of important projects. Key among these were the presentation of the new Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games brands, milestones which were the result of two years work and which also serve as a momentum boost for further achievements.

“The Sochi 2014 marketing program is being successfully implemented. Industry-leading companies are fighting for the right to become Partners of the Winter Games, which makes the Sochi 2014 project a great example of public-private partnership.

After all, the Winter Games in Vancouver are almost upon us, where Sochi 2014 is preparing a large-scale program to present the Host City of the next Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to the rest of the world. I am confident that next year, we can expect to set new records.”

President and CEO of Sochi 2014, Dmitry Chernyshenko, reported on the ambitious task the Organizing Committee has set for itself – to complete the Winter Games General Partners selection and move onto the second and third levels of sponsorship—all before Vancouver 2010 begins. As part of the marketing program for the 2009-2010 period, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee plans to bring in a total of over $1 billion in financial investments.

President and CEO of Sochi 2014, Dmitry Chernyshenko, said:

“The Organizing Committee is continuing to increase the level of commercial funding for Sochi 2014. On December 12, we signed a partnership agreement with MegaFon, upon which the company became a General Partner of the Winter Games. Current Partnership investments therefore amount to more than $850 million.”

The result of the Supervisory Board meeting was the approval of the 2010 financial plan as well as the ratification of the Volunteer Program concept for the Winter Games. Moreover, by 2010, the organizers have the task of ensuring the adoption of bills for amendments and additions to existing legislation concerning the interests of volunteers. A network of volunteer centers will additionally be created in Russia next year in order to attract, select and train Sochi 2014 volunteers.

The Supervisory Board members commended the preparatory work for volunteers carried out by the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee in 2009. Together with the Russian Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy, the Organizing Committee held an all-Russia "Olympic relay volunteers Sochi-Vancouver- Sochi contest.” Winners joined the Russian Volunteer Team which will participate at Vancouver 2010.

Sochi 2014 volunteers took an active part in organizing and staging major events during 2009, including the presentation of the new Sochi 2014 brand in Red Square, the International Paralympic Day in Moscow, the FIS Alpine Ski Champions Cup in Moscow, the 7th visit of the IOC Experts on construction to Sochi, The First European Parliamentary Games, and the Equal Chances in Sports festival in Moscow.

Dmitry Chernyshenko also reported that in 2009, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee regularly collaborated with representatives of International Sports Federations, particularly on the issue of coordination of competition schedules and test events. The National and International Sports Federations together recruited Competition Leaders in all Olympic winter sports.

In the second half of 2009, the Organizing Committee welcomed its first guests from the National Olympic Committees of the USA, Norway and Canada, who noted the impressive progress of preparations for Sochi 2014. In 2010, 25 inspection visits to Sochi from National Olympic and Paralympic Committees are scheduled.

In 2010, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee will implement a series of priority projects, which include Russian 2014 Sochi House and Russian Cultural Week in Vancouver, the transfer ceremony of the Olympic flag and the Russia-wide voting and selection of the Winter Games mascot.