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Olympic Inspectors Won by Optimism
The Sochi visit of IOC Coordination Commission to monitor progress in the 2014 Winter Olympics preparation has revealed no grand difficulties. Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov showed to Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy a model of a 2014 Winter Olympics site outside the Black Sea resort of Sochi – the first facilities will be built no sooner than in 2009. Zubkov had attempted to draw attention to the Sochi problems before the visit of IOC officials – nothing of the kind could have happened in presence of top-ranked guests.
The IOC Coordination Commission to monitor progress for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics set to work in Sochi yesterday, April 22, 2008. It is the first inspection of IOC related to preparation of 2014 Winter Olympics.
Russia’s Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov and Vice Premier Alexander Zhukov met with Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy also on Tuesday. The top-rank sport officials saw anew the places that will host Olympic facilities and the model sites. Nothing else could be shown actually. The first design estimate documentation will be elaborated only by August of 2008, Zhukov said.
Of all Russia’s bureaucrats, Viktor Zubkov was the only one who attempted to say that not everything was running smoothly in Sochi. Predictably, the prime minister made his critical statements during the meeting preceding the arrival of IOC inspectors.
“Execution of separate orders has been delayed,” Zubkov told the President’s Olympic Council, specifying his concern about the land allocation and creation of infrastructure. Regional Development Minister Dmitry Kozak played down the PM’s rhetoric in no time. “Everything is in line with the schedule, the premier has meant that the transport infrastructure is to be ready well in advance,’ Kozak said. Zubkov raised no objections and, on the next day, Zhukov told the guests that “all stages of detailed plan of Olympics preparation are up to the schedule and even ahead of it.”
The situation in Sochi is complicated, Jean-Claude Killy concluded by results of inspection but was promptly assured by Zubkov and accompanying bureaucrats that all problems would be sorted out in time. In the end, the Commission appeared satisfied with the progress in Olympics preparation and Zhukov called the exam passed all inner problems with planning of land use notwithstanding.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Apr. 23, 2008
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