The IOC Coordination Commission’s second visit to Sochi
On May 13-14 this year, the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Coordination Commission will visit Sochi. This will be the Commission's second visit to the site of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The IOC 2014 Olympic Games Coordination Commission's first visit to Sochi took place on April 22-23, 2008.
The delegation includes: the IOC Coordination Commission members, the International Olympic and Paralympic committee officers, representatives of various international federations (36 individuals), including Jean-Claude Killy (IOC Coordination Commission Chairman) and Gilbert Felli (IOC Executive Director for the Olympic Games), see enclosure for details.
The goals of the forthcoming IOC Coordination Commission visit:
- evaluate the progress made in preparations for the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games;
- examine all aspects of Olympic preparations, including the construction of Olympic venues and infrastructure, environmental protection, accommodation, transport, education, communications, marketing, technology, legacy, and the Paralympic Games preparations;
- advise on major venues, based on the previous Olympic Games experience.
Issues to be discussed: infrastructure development; transport system; environmental protection; health and drug control; sponsor attraction and marketing; security and media coverage of the Sochi 2014 XXII Olympic and XI Paralympic Winter Games (hereinafter - Olympic Games).
IOC experts have visited Sochi six times during the preparations for the Olympic Games (including an interim visit).
IOC instructions after the experts' fourth visit (44 instructions) have been carried out in full. Currently, 64 instructions following the fifth and the interim IOC visits are being implemented.
The results of the IOC Coordination Commission's first visit to Sochi
The IOC Coordination Commission's first visit to Sochi took place on April 22-23, 2008.
Following the visit, the IOC Coordination Commission head Jean-Claude Killy said the Commission's first visit "established strong working relations with the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee."
"We have laid a strong foundation, which will allow us to move forward as a team. The Sochi-2014 organisers explained the progress in the preparations for the Olympics, which once again reassured us that the project is in reliable hands. The Sochi Olympics have every chance to become a truly impressive event. We will continue working with our Russian colleagues to ensure that the athletes, who will participate in the 2014 Olympics, compete in the best possible conditions."
The rules of IOC Coordination Commission visits
The Sochi-2014 Coordination Commission of the International Olympic Committee was formed in compliance with the Olympic Charter to oversee the activities of the Olympic Organising Committee.
The Coordination Commission pays official visits to the Olympic host city annually. Within four years of the Olympic event, the number of visits doubles. In addition, the IOC delegation, including the Coordination Commission head, individual Commission members and IOC administration representatives, pays regular visits to the host city.
STRUCTURE OF THE IOC COORDINATION COMMISSION FOR THE SOCHI 2014 OLYMPIC GAMES
Chairman
- Jean-Claude Killy (France)
Executive
Director
-
Gilbert Felli (Switzerland), IOC Executive Director
Coordination Commission Members:
- Gian-Franco Kasper (Switzerland), IOC member, President, International Ski Federation (FIS).
- Rene Fazel (Switzerland), IOC member, President, International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), President, the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).
- Ottavio Cinquanta (Italy), IOC Executive Board member, President, International Skating Union (ISU).
-Gunilla Lindberg (Sweden), IOC Vice-President, General Secretary, Association of the National Olympic Committees (ANOC).
- His Majesty Prince of Orange (Netherlands), IOC member.
- Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. (Spain), IOC member.
- Miguel Sagara (Spain), General Secretary, International Paralympic Committee
- Remy Charmetant, (France), IOC expert on the Olympics organisation and accommodation.
- Philippe Drevon (France), IOC construction expert.
- Tsunekazu Takeda (Japan), President, National Olympic Committee.
The delegation also includes the following representatives of international sports federations:
International Biathlon Union
- Anders Besseberg, President
International Federation of Bobsleigh et de Togogganing
- Robert Storey, President
- Ermanno Gardella, General Secretary
World Curling Federation
- Mike Thomson, General Secretary
International Luge Federation
- Josef Fendt, President
Svein Romstad, Secretary General
International Skating Union
- Fredi Schmid, Director General
International Ski Federation
- Sarah Lewis, Secretary General
