Sochi 2014 Athletes' Commission holds its first meeting

6/24/2009

23 June 2009, Sochi-Moscow, Russia – Sochi 2014 today celebrated International Olympic Day by staging a series of major events. Among these was the first meeting of the Sochi 2014 Athletes’ Commission, chaired by four time Olympic gold medalist and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, Alexander Popov. The meeting covered many aspects of Sochi 2014 Games delivery, such as ensuring the needs of athletes are fully met during Russia’s first Winter Games.

A series of sporting events were also staged in Sochi to mark the anniversary of the foundation of the IOC. This included staging a 2014 meter swimming event for youngsters, athletes and residents of Sochi.

The Sochi 2014 Athletes Commission – composed of current and recently retired athletes – met in the Sochi 2014 Joint Information Center. The meeting was attended by Sochi 2014 President and CEO, Dmitry Chernyshenko; world-famous figure skating coach, Tatiana Tarasova; Three-times Olympic champion, the President of the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia Vladislav Tretyak; Olympic Speed Skating Champion and Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of Russia, Svetlana Zhurova; 2002 Olympic Figure Skating Champion and Chairman of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of the State Duma of Russia, Anton Sikharulidze; multiple Paralympic Champion and General Secretary of the Russian Paralympic Committee, Mikhail Terentiev; double Olympic Gymnastics Champion and Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Youth Affairs of the State Duma of Russia, Svetlana Khorkina; and other internationally renowned Russian sporting figures.

The Sochi 2014 Athletes’ Commission is designed to ensure close collaboration between world-class Russian athletes and Sochi 2014 experts as Sochi 2014’s Games delivery progresses.

The main objectives of the Sochi 2014 Athletes Commission include:
· Ensuring the effective coordination of quality services for athletes
· Best practice recommendations on the organization of sporting competitions

Establishing an Athletes’ Commission is international best practice for Organizing Committees and is supported by the International Olympic Committee. The IOC itself established an Athletes’ Commission in 1981. The Commission continues to meet regularly and make recommendations to the IOC Executive Board. The body currently consists of 19 world-famous athletes and is chaired by Frankie Fredericks, Namibian four-time Olympic medalist.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of Sochi 2014, said: “It is symbolic that the first meeting of the Sochi 2014 Athletes’ Commission was held on International Olympic Day – the anniversary of the foundation of the IOC. Sochi 2014’s success will depend on the environment that is created for athletes, as it is they who will generate many of the enduring memories of Russia’s first Winter Games. The unique insights of Russian Olympians and Paralympians are very important to us, and we aim to use this knowledge to ensure that Sochi 2014 is an incredible experience for everybody.”

The celebrations of the Olympic Day began last weekend, when Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of Sochi 2014, led a team of Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee representatives, Sochi 2014 Partners and Sochi 2014 Ambassadors in a 1km run in support of the Olympic Movement.

 

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