“Russia has always been passionate about sport and Sochi’s bid to host the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games provides a real opportunity to inspire a whole new generation of athletes and supporters. The Winter Games in Sochi would transform the region and leave a incredible legacy for the nation. We want to show the world the new Russia and Sochi 2014 would allow us to do that.“

Anatoli Karpov is a Chess Grandmaster, former World Champion and the most successful tournament player of all time. He learnt to play chess at the age of five and eight years later, he was accepted into Mikhail Botvinnik's prestigious chess school.

At the age of 14, Karpov became the youngest National Master in history, winning his first international tournament soon afterwards. In 1967 he won the European Junior Chess Championship, became an International Grandmaster in 1970 and in the 12th World Chess Champion in 1974, the youngest ever at the time.

Karpov defended the championship twice against the talented Victor Korchnoi, and then embarked on one of the most intense rivalries in chess history with Garry Kasparov. In 1999, Karpov retired from championship competition with 161 first-place finishes to his credit.

Kaprov was born in Zlatoust, Russia.

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