“As a member of the International Olympic Committee and a proud Russian, I am in full support of the Sochi 2014 bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The bid is representative of the changes that have taken place in Russia to date and the Games would act a major catalyst to continue this progress. The Olympics in Sochi will transform the region and leave behind an incredible legacy based on the values of the Olympic Movement.“

Alexander Popov is a four-times Olympic Gold medalist and dominated sprint swimming throughout the 1990s. He won the men's 50m and 100m freestyle event at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics Games, and repeated his victories at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, becoming the first man to do so since Johnny ’Tarzan’ Weissmuller in 1928.

Despite being hospitalised in 1996, Popov went on to win the 50m and 100m freestyle titles at the 1997 European Championships. He won the 100m at the 1998 World Championships and the 50m and 100m titles at the 2004 Barcelona World Championships, before going on to compete at his last Olympics in Athens the following year. Popov still holds the Olympic and World records for the men's 50m freestyle (21.91s and 21.64s, respectively).

Popov was elected to the International Olympic Committee in December 1999. He also represents athletes on the IOC Sport for All Commission and was elected as one of seven athletes to the IOC Athletes Commission by his fellow athletes at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. He was re-elected to the Athletes Commission at the Athens 2004 Games and is now Honorary Secretary. Additionally, Popov was awarded the 1996 Russian Medal of Honour for contributions to sport, and was also named Russian Athlete of the Year and European Sports Press Union Athlete of the Year in 1996.

Popov was born in Sverdlovsk, Russia.

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