2014 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event
scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi
, Russia
with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games
are being organized by the Sochi Organizing Committee
(SOOC). The 2014 Winter Olympics will become the second Olympics
hosted by Russia. Previously, Russia hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow
. These are the first Olympics (and first Winter Olympics altogether) for the Russian Federation however, as the 1980 Summer Olympics were in the former Soviet Union
.
Following Olympic tradition, Sochi mayor Anatoliy Pakhomov
received the Olympic flag
during the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
, Canada.
(IOC) Session in Guatemala City
, Guatemala. This will be the first time that the Russian Federation will host the Winter Olympics; the Soviet Union
hosted the 1980 Summer Games
in Moscow.
President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko, the successful partnership and commercial programs will allow to use funds generated by Sochi 2014 for the 2009–2010 development period, postponing the need for the state funds guaranteed by the Russian Government. He confirmed that the Organizing Committee has successfully generated more than $500 million through the marketing program in the first five months of 2009.
Russia is currently providing nearly 327 billion rubles (approximately US$10.85 billion) for the total development, expansion and hosting of the Games. 192.4 billion rubles are coming from the Federal budget and 7.1 billion rubles from the Krasnodar Krai
budget and from the Sochi
budget. Sochi 2014 expects to have a surplus of $300 Million once the games are over.
The following funds were approved within the Federal budget for the development of Sochi:
Financing from non-budget sources (including private investor funds) is distributed as follows:
coast in the Imeretin Valley
. All the venues listed below are new and need to be built. The venues will be clustered around a central water basin on which the Medals Plaza will be built. This will provide a great compactness of the concept with the Olympic Stadium and all indoor venues of the Olympics gathered within walking distance.
After the Olympics, it is planned to use the cluster area as part of Formula One
street circuit. This deal was signed on 14 October 2010 though it could be delayed to the 2014 Games. The contract runs to 2020.
As reported by Olympic news outlet Around the Rings, Sochi 2014 is the 12th straight Olympics to outlaw smoking. This means that all Sochi venues, Olympic Park bars and restaurants and public areas will be smoke-free during the games.
, on 2 March 2008 there was an unofficial referendum
held in Sochi
to elect the mascot for the 2014 Winter Olympics
. 270,000 voters along with their ballots received a coupon with four mascot candidates: Ded Moroz
, a snowflake, a polar bear and a dolphin. According to a representative of Sochi city administration, the majority of Sochians voted for the dolphin. However, representatives of the Sochi Organizing Committee
for the Games, which is to officially elect a logo and a mascot, commented, that while respecting the opinion of Sochians, such a procedure is usually held later. They also pointed out, that the final version of the mascot should be a consensus of opinions of all citizens of the country and the result of work by professional designers and market analysts.
On 1 December 2009 the official 2014 Winter Olympic logo was released. International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge, said of the logo: "It's very appealing. It's very creative, innovative. I think it will appeal especially to the young population."
There has been controversy over the announced mascots. The frog Zoich
, which won the official online vote was inexplicably excluded by officials from the second round of voting. The ultimately selected mascots: a polar bear, snow hare, and snowboarding leopard (said to be Vladimir Putin's favorite) found only timid popular support.
"sochi2014.ru
" is the only Olympic emblem to include a web address. The mirror of "Sochi" and "2014" 'reflects' that Sochi is a meeting point between sea and mountains. As the main component of the Sochi 2014 emblem, the Olympic rings sit large and in color to show that this is a symbol of progress for the Olympic Movement. The change of colours and inner design of the rest of the emblem encourages people to express themselves, with some expected to transform it using traditional images, while others will take an ultra-modern approach.
have offered to provide the S-400 Triumf advanced surface-to-air missile system as part of the large-scale security measures during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The South Ossetia armed conflict
, which occurred in 2008, sparked concerns regarding the preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, which is located close to the disputed region of Abkhazia
. In the aftermath of the war, the Georgian National Olympic Committee
asked, in November 2008, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reconsider its decision to hold the Olympics on the territory “adjacent both to the [Russian-] occupied Abkhaz conflict zone, and to the extremely unstable and volatile North Caucasus”. The IOC responded that ensuring security at the Sochi Olympics was up to Russian organizers, and rejected Georgia's request.
Commenting on the results of the live vote, Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, said:
In the episode "Boy Meets Curl
" of the animated television show The Simpsons
, Bart Simpson creates an imaginary male mascot for the 2014 Winter Olympics called "Fatov" using a pin of this character by cutting out part of Homer's face from his driver's license and adding eyes to the chin. He then trades it to the collectable pin salesman for Lisa's pearls. The salesman is enchanted by the pin and has a romantic fantasy (referencing Dr. Zhivago including the music) of spending time with the "real" Fatov. According to Bart, Fatov represents "the Russian spirit of sloth and alcoholism."
was in Sochi and concluded the the city has made significant progress since he last visited eighteen months earlier.
Expected to be built:
During the Olympic Games, the telecommunications backbones of UTK, Rostelecom
and TransTeleCom providers will be used.
The fiber-optic channel links Sochi between Adler
and Krasnaya Polyana. The 46 km (28.6 mi) long channel will enable videoconferencing and news reporting from the Olympics.
The event was a part of the Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM) program by the IOC.
According to the strategy, the capacity of the regional energy network will increase by two and a half times by 2014, guaranteeing stable power supply during and after the Games.
Power demand of Sochi in the end of May 2009 was 424 MW. Power demand of the Olympic infrastructure is expected to be about 340 MW.
Earlier plans also include building combined cycle
(steam and gas) power stations near the cities of Tuapse
and Novorossiysk
and construction of a cable-wire powerline, partially on the floor of the Black Sea
.
The Sochi Light Metro
will be constructed between Adler
and Krasnaya Polyana to connect the Olympic Park, the airport
and the venues in Krasnaya Polyana.
The existing 102 km Tuapse to Adler railroad will be reconstructed to provide double track throughout, increasing capacity and enabling a reliable regional service to be provided. The railroad will also be extended to the airport. In December 2009 Russian Railways
ordered 38 Siemens Mobility Desiro trains for delivery in 2013 for use during the Olympics, with an option for a further 16 which would be partly built in Russia.
Russian Railways
is going to establish a high-speed Moscow-Adler link and a new railroad (more than 60 km long) passing by the territory of Ukraine
.
At the Sochi airport
, a new terminal has been built and a 3.5 km (2.2 mi) runway
extension is planned, possibly overlapping Mzymta river
. Backup airports will be built in Gelendzhik
, Mineralnye Vody
and Krasnodar
by 2009.
At the Sochi sea port, a new offshore terminal will be constructed 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) from the shore to allow docking for cruise ships with capacities of 3000 passengers. The cargo terminal of the sea port is to be moved from the Sochi centre.
Road ways will be detoured, some going around the construction site and others being cut off.
In May 2009 Russian Railways started the construction of tunnel complex No.1 (the total will be six) on the combined road (automobile and railway) from Adler to Alpica Service Mountain Resort in Krasnaya Polyana region. The tunnel complex No.1 is located near Akhshtyr settlement in Adlersky City District, and includes:
Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin
said the road construction will cost more than 200 billion rubles.
"Federation Island" will be built in the sea near the Lesser Akhun subdistrict of Khostinsky City District. The island will be shaped like the Russian Federation. It will hold hotels and offices.
Significant funds are to be spent on construction of advanced sewage treatment
system in Sochi, being designed by Olimpstroy. The system meets BREF standards and employs top available technologies for environment protection, including tertiary treatment with microfiltration
.
, luge
, skeleton
, ice hockey
, figure skating
, speed skating
, short track speed skating
and curling
. The three sports categorized as alpine skiing and snowboarding events were: alpine
, freestyle
and snowboarding
. The four sports categorized as Nordic events were: biathlon
, cross-country skiing
, ski jumping
and Nordic combined
. A total of twelve new events in five sports will be contested at these games.
Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each sport.
On 6 April 2011, the IOC accepted a number of events that were submitted by their respective sports federations to be considered for inclusion into the official program of these Olympic Games.
The events include:
Other events that were also considered to be included had their decision postponed for further study, however on 4 July 2011 the IOC announced both these events would be added to the program. These three disciplines were officially declared by Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
on 5 July 2011.
Team alpine skiing was presented as a candidate for inclusion in the Olympic program but the Executive board of the IOC rejected this proposal. The International Ski Federation
persisted with the nomination and this is being considered. There were reports of Bandy
potentially being added to the sports program, but the IOC rejected this request. Subsequently, the international governing body, Federation of International Bandy
, decided to have Sochi host the 2014 Bandy World Championships during the Olympics.
On 28 November 2006, the Executive Board of the IOC decided not to include the following sports in the review process of the program.
protected Caucasus Biosphere Reserve and Sochi National Park could be harmful, the IOC approved the plans. Greenpeace
of Russia said that the IOC and the Russian Government
assume all responsibility for any damage to the West Caucasus natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the Sochi bid, a wide array of construction is planned in the Grushevyi Ridge area. They include a cascade of hydroelectric power station
s on the Mzymta River
, sewage treatment
facilities, a high-speed rail link, a Mountain Olympic Village, a track for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton (which was relocated in May 2009), and a biathlon venue. Alpine skiing venues are being constructed in the Rosa Khutor plateau and the Psekhako Ridge area. Environmentalists propose building up Krasnaya Polyana instead of destroying nature reserve sites. Plans for construction of Olympic venues have been criticized by environmentalists as an opportunity to re-zone and partition the Sochi National Park, to allow sale of land to the private sector for development.
Environmentalists also oppose the plan of construction of a cargo terminal for ships in the mouth of the Psou River
in the Imereti Lowland, because this could lead to the destruction of the largest areas of sea-flooded shore and marshes.
On 3 July 2008, Vladimir Putin
directed some of the Olympic venues, such as the luge and bobsleigh track, to be relocated (The Russian National Sliding Centre
was relocated in May 2009.). He said "In setting our priorities and choosing between money and the environment, we're choosing the environment."
Geologist Dr Sergei Volkov has fled to the Ukraine after speaking out about environmental and geological problems. He claims that mercury
and uranium
deposits, as well as the probability of landslides, make the location of the games hazardous. He also claims that the location of a cargo port was inappropriate. A storm there killed three seamen and destroyed $14 million of infrastructure.
, Gelendzhik
and Adler.
After the IOC Evaluation Commission visited Sochi in February 2007, local authorities promised to buy the lands from Lower Imereti Bay long-time residents for a fair market price. But during the following half a year, no local resident could get his land approved as private property.
forced up to 97 percent of the Circassians to move to the Ottoman Empire
. They are demanding the Sochi 2014 Olympics be cancelled or moved unless Russia apologises for what the Circassians regard to be a genocide. Some Circassian groups have not expressed outright opposition to the Olympics but argue that symbols of Circassian history and culture should be included in the format, as Australia, United States, and Canada did with their indigenous populations in 2000, 2002, and 2010 respectively.
The games are viewed to be particularly offensive because they include the date of the 150th anniversary of what they consider a genocide. It has thus been a rallying cry for Circassian nationalists
.
In particular, there is much ire over the use of a hill called "Red Hill". In 1864, a group of Circassians apparently tried to return home but were attacked and a battle ensued, ending in their massacre, and attaining the name "Red Hill" (for the blood spilt). There will be skiing and snowboarding on this hill.
, which broke out at the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics
, surprised the Olympic community. "It is not what the world wants to see. It is contrary to what the Olympic ideal stands for," said an IOC spokesperson. However, in November 2008, the IOC turned down a request by the Georgian National Olympic Committee
to reconsider its decision to hold the Olympics on the territory "adjacent both to the [Russian-] occupied Abkhaz conflict zone, and to the extremely unstable and volatile North Caucasus".
Related concerns persist, regarding the region's safety and the desirability of hosting an Olympics in a conflict-ridden zone. "The region is such a muddied and bloodied aquarium of conflict that to pick out any one fish is impossible," says Oleg Nechiporenko, chief analyst for Russia's National Anti-Terrorist and Anti-Criminal Fund, in response to a 26 May 2010, car bombing, whose suspects include Russian nationalists, local mafia
groups, separatists
and islamists in the North Caucasus, or a remnant of the war in Abhazia
Sochi borders Russia's six autonomous North Caucasus republics, home of the Second Chechen War
and all of whom face "severe social problems that stem from massive unemployment and bad governance".
Russian Envoy to the North Caucasus Alexander Khloponin
told local law enforcement that "the violent scramble for assets" is likely to get worse as Russia invests heavily in tourist infrastructure and Olympic-caliber ski resorts.
The goal, according to a statement posted on the United Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the UN, is to have all Member States as sponsors. There are 193 members of the UN General Assembly.
The official title of the Truce is: “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe will table the resolution, scheduled for a 10 a.m. vote on Oct. 17.
; ATV
(Opening and closing ceremonies) – Rede Globo
and Rede Bandeirantes
(exclusive all rights holders), Rede Record
(only free-to-pay television) – Sportfive
; rights in each country to be resold to local broadcasters, except France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland and United Kingdom – YLE – France Télévisions
– ARD
; ZDF
– Sky Italia
– TV 2
– SBS – SBS – RTVE
– MTG
– SRG SSR – FOX – NBC
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games
2014 Winter Paralympics
The 2014 Winter Paralympics, officially known as the XI Paralympic Winter Games, will be held from March 7 to March 16, 2014 in Sochi, Russia...
are being organized by the Sochi Organizing Committee
Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee
The Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi is the organization responsible for the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia...
(SOOC). The 2014 Winter Olympics will become the second Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
hosted by Russia. Previously, Russia hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. These are the first Olympics (and first Winter Olympics altogether) for the Russian Federation however, as the 1980 Summer Olympics were in the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Following Olympic tradition, Sochi mayor Anatoliy Pakhomov
Anatoliy Pakhomov
Anatoliy Nikolayevich Pakhomov is a Russian politician. He is currently the acting mayor of Sochi.Pakhomov served as the mayor of the town of Anapa from 2005 until 2008...
received the Olympic flag
Olympic symbols
The Olympic symbols are icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee to promote the Olympic Games. Some—such as the flame, fanfare, and theme—are more common during Olympic competition, but others, such as the flag, can be seen throughout the year.-Motto:The Olympic motto is...
during the closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics took place on February 28, 2010, beginning at 5:30 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada.
Bid and preparations
The city was elected on 4 July 2007, during the 119th International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) Session in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, Guatemala. This will be the first time that the Russian Federation will host the Winter Olympics; the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
hosted the 1980 Summer Games
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow.
| 2014 Winter Olympics bidding results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | NOC Name | Round 1 | Round 2 | ||
| Sochi Sochi Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains... |
34 | 51 | |||
| Pyeongchang | 36 | 47 | |||
| Salzburg Salzburg -Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for... |
25 | – | |||
Financials
According to Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing CommitteeSochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee
The Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi is the organization responsible for the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia...
President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko, the successful partnership and commercial programs will allow to use funds generated by Sochi 2014 for the 2009–2010 development period, postponing the need for the state funds guaranteed by the Russian Government. He confirmed that the Organizing Committee has successfully generated more than $500 million through the marketing program in the first five months of 2009.
Russia is currently providing nearly 327 billion rubles (approximately US$10.85 billion) for the total development, expansion and hosting of the Games. 192.4 billion rubles are coming from the Federal budget and 7.1 billion rubles from the Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai
-External links:* **...
budget and from the Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
budget. Sochi 2014 expects to have a surplus of $300 Million once the games are over.
The following funds were approved within the Federal budget for the development of Sochi:
| Funds approved from 2006 until 2014 |
|
|---|---|
| Year | Billions of rubles Russian ruble The ruble or rouble is the currency of the Russian Federation and the two partially recognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Formerly, the ruble was also the currency of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union prior to their breakups. Belarus and Transnistria also use currencies with... |
| 2006 | 4.9 |
| 2007 | 15.9 |
| 2008 | 31.6 |
| 2009 | 27.3 |
| 2010 | 22.2 |
| 2011 | 27.1 |
| 2012 | 26.3 |
| 2013 | 22.1 |
| 2014 | 8.4 |
Financing from non-budget sources (including private investor funds) is distributed as follows:
- Tourist infrastructure – $2.6 billion;
- Olympic venues – $500 million;
- Transport infrastructure – $270 million;
- Power supply infrastructure – $100 million.
Sochi Olympic Park (Coastal Cluster)
The Sochi Olympic Park will be built by the Black SeaBlack Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
coast in the Imeretin Valley
Imeretin Valley
The Imeretin Valley is located on the coast of the Black Sea between the Mzymta and Psou rivers in Krasnodar Krai, Russia....
. All the venues listed below are new and need to be built. The venues will be clustered around a central water basin on which the Medals Plaza will be built. This will provide a great compactness of the concept with the Olympic Stadium and all indoor venues of the Olympics gathered within walking distance.
- Bolshoi Ice PalaceBolshoi Ice PalaceThe Bolshoi Ice Palace is a description of a 12,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Sochi, Russia that is currently in the planning stages."Bolshoi" literally means "Major", hence the correct English name for the Bolshoi Ice Palace would be the "Major Ice Palace". It is due to be open in 2012...
– ice hockey (final), 12,000 spectators. - Maly Ice PalaceMaly Ice PalaceThe Maly Ice Palace is a description of a 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Sochi, Russia that is currently in the planning stages. "Maly" literally means "Minor", hence the correct English name for the arena would be "Minor Ice Palace". It is due to be open in 2013...
– ice hockey, 7,000 spectators. - Sochi Olympic OvalSochi Olympic OvalThe Sochi Olympic Oval is a description of a 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Sochi, Russia that is currently in the planning stages. It is due to be open in 2011. After it is completed, it will host the speed skating events at the 2014 Winter Olympics. It will cost $32.8 million to build the...
– speed skating, 8,000 spectators. - Sochi Olympic Skating CentreSochi Olympic Skating CentreThe Sochi Olympic Skating Centre is a description of a 12,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Sochi, Russia that is currently in the planning stages. It is due to be open in 2012. After it is completed, it will host the short track speed skating and figure skating events at the 2014 Winter Olympics...
– figure skating, short track speed skating, 12,000 spectators. - Sochi Olympic Curling CentreSochi Olympic Curling CentreThe Sochi Olympic Curling Centre is a description of a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Sochi, Russia that is currently in the planning stages....
– curling, 3,000 spectators. - Sochi Olympic StadiumSochi Olympic StadiumThe new Sochi Olympic Stadium will be built in the new Sochi Olympic Park. It will be located within walking distance of the Olympic Village and the capacity of the stadium will be 40,000...
– ceremonies (opening/ closing) 40,000 spectators. - Main Olympic village
- International broadcasting center and main press-room
After the Olympics, it is planned to use the cluster area as part of Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
street circuit. This deal was signed on 14 October 2010 though it could be delayed to the 2014 Games. The contract runs to 2020.
Krasnaya Polyana (Mountain Cluster)
- Biathlon & Ski ComplexSochi Biathlon & Ski ComplexThe Sochi Biathlon & Ski Complex is a skiing venue located on the crests and slopes of Psekhako Ridge in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. For the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in neighboring Sochi, it will host the biathlon and the cross-country skiing portion of the Nordic combined events.Seating...
– Biathlon, Cross-country skiing and Nordic combined (cross-country skiing) - Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard ParkSochi Freestyle Skiing Center and Snowboard ParkThe Sochi Freestyle Skiing Center and Snowboard Park is a skiing venue located west of the Rosa Khutor plateau in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. For the 2014 Winter Olympics in neighboring Sochi, it will host the freestyle skiing and snowboarding events....
– Freestyle skiing and Snowboarding - Rosa Khutor Alpine ResortRosa Khutor Alpine ResortThe Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort is a skiing resort located at Aibiga Ridge along the Rosa Khutor plateau near Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. Constructed in 2003, it is scheduled to host all alpine skiing events for the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in neighboring Sochi.Having a capacity of 10000,...
– Alpine skiing - Russian National Sliding CentreRussian National Sliding CentreThe Russian National Sliding Centre is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track that will be located in Rzhanaya Polyana, Russia, located 60 km northeast of Sochi...
– Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton - Russian National Ski Jumping CentreRussian National Ski Jumping CentreThe Russian National Ski-Jumping Centre is a ski jumping venue located in the Esto-Sadok village on the northern slope of Aibaga Ridge in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia...
– Ski jumping and Nordic combined (ski jumping) - Rosa Khutor Plateau Olympic VillageOlympic VillageAn Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
As reported by Olympic news outlet Around the Rings, Sochi 2014 is the 12th straight Olympics to outlaw smoking. This means that all Sochi venues, Olympic Park bars and restaurants and public areas will be smoke-free during the games.
Marketing
Along with 2008 Russian presidential electionRussian presidential election, 2008
The Russian Presidential election of 2008, held on March 2, 2008 resulted in the election of Dmitry Medvedev as the third President of Russia. Medvedev, whose candidacy was supported by incumbent president Vladimir Putin and five political parties , received 71% of the vote, and defeated...
, on 2 March 2008 there was an unofficial referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
held in Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
to elect the mascot for the 2014 Winter Olympics
2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots
The mascots for the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2014 Winter Paralympics were revealed on February 26, 2011. A shortlist of 10 Olympic and 3 Paralympic designs had been shown to the public on February 7, 2011.-History:...
. 270,000 voters along with their ballots received a coupon with four mascot candidates: Ded Moroz
Ded Moroz
Ded Moroz is a fictional character who in some Slavic cultures plays a role similar to that of Santa Claus. The literal translation of the name would be Grandfather Frost, although the name is often translated as Father Frost....
, a snowflake, a polar bear and a dolphin. According to a representative of Sochi city administration, the majority of Sochians voted for the dolphin. However, representatives of the Sochi Organizing Committee
Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee
The Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi is the organization responsible for the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia...
for the Games, which is to officially elect a logo and a mascot, commented, that while respecting the opinion of Sochians, such a procedure is usually held later. They also pointed out, that the final version of the mascot should be a consensus of opinions of all citizens of the country and the result of work by professional designers and market analysts.
On 1 December 2009 the official 2014 Winter Olympic logo was released. International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge, said of the logo: "It's very appealing. It's very creative, innovative. I think it will appeal especially to the young population."
There has been controversy over the announced mascots. The frog Zoich
Zoich
Zoich was a proposed mascot for the XXII Winter Olympics, which took first place in the official online poll to select a mascot for the 2014 Sochi games. Despite being a popular Internet character, the committee chose not to introduce it to the final round of the voting...
, which won the official online vote was inexplicably excluded by officials from the second round of voting. The ultimately selected mascots: a polar bear, snow hare, and snowboarding leopard (said to be Vladimir Putin's favorite) found only timid popular support.
"sochi2014.ru
.ru
.ru is the Latin alphabet Internet country code top-level domain for the Russian Federation introduced on April 7, 1994. The Russian alphabet internationalized country code is .рф....
" is the only Olympic emblem to include a web address. The mirror of "Sochi" and "2014" 'reflects' that Sochi is a meeting point between sea and mountains. As the main component of the Sochi 2014 emblem, the Olympic rings sit large and in color to show that this is a symbol of progress for the Olympic Movement. The change of colours and inner design of the rest of the emblem encourages people to express themselves, with some expected to transform it using traditional images, while others will take an ultra-modern approach.
Security
The Russian militaryRussian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
have offered to provide the S-400 Triumf advanced surface-to-air missile system as part of the large-scale security measures during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The South Ossetia armed conflict
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, which occurred in 2008, sparked concerns regarding the preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, which is located close to the disputed region of Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
. In the aftermath of the war, the Georgian National Olympic Committee
Georgian National Olympic Committee
The Georgian National Olympic Committee is a Georgian national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. It is an umbrella organization for 12 regional bodies, the Georgian Olympic Academy, the Georgian Olympians’ Association, and the Olympic Museum.The GNOC was established on October 6,...
asked, in November 2008, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reconsider its decision to hold the Olympics on the territory “adjacent both to the [Russian-] occupied Abkhaz conflict zone, and to the extremely unstable and volatile North Caucasus”. The IOC responded that ensuring security at the Sochi Olympics was up to Russian organizers, and rejected Georgia's request.
Mascots
On 26 February, at 11.20 pm (GMT+3) the final results of the public vote during the live television show "Talismaniya Sochi 2014 – The Final” were announced on Channel One. The election council made the decision that the top-three characters with maximum number of votes would all become the Olympic Winter Games mascots:- the Polar Bear (by Oleg Serdechniy, Sochi),
- the Hare (by Silviya Petrova, New Buyanovo village of Yankovsky region, Chuvash republic),
- the Leopard (by Vadim Pak, Nakhodka).
Commenting on the results of the live vote, Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, said:
«Today, the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have adopted its own symbols and, for the first time in the history of the Olympic Movement, the whole country was involved in choosing the mascots. There are three mascots for the Olympic Winter Games, representing the three places on the Olympic podium. All top-three characters according to the Olympic system will become the Olympic Winter Games mascots. The mascots are the choice of the whole our country and will remain in the history of the Olympic movement».
In the episode "Boy Meets Curl
Boy Meets Curl
"Boy Meets Curl" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons twenty-first season. It aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 14, 2010. In this episode, Homer and Marge Simpson form a mixed-doubles curling team with Agnes and Seymour Skinner, which is chosen to play in the 2010 Winter...
" of the animated television show The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, Bart Simpson creates an imaginary male mascot for the 2014 Winter Olympics called "Fatov" using a pin of this character by cutting out part of Homer's face from his driver's license and adding eyes to the chin. He then trades it to the collectable pin salesman for Lisa's pearls. The salesman is enchanted by the pin and has a romantic fantasy (referencing Dr. Zhivago including the music) of spending time with the "real" Fatov. According to Bart, Fatov represents "the Russian spirit of sloth and alcoholism."
Construction
The Olympic infrastructure is being constructed according to a Federal Target Program (FTP). In June 2009 the Games organizers reported they are one year ahead in building the main Olympic facilities as compared to all of the latest Olympic Games. In November 2011 IOC President Jacques RoggeJacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
was in Sochi and concluded the the city has made significant progress since he last visited eighteen months earlier.
Telecommunications
According to the FTP, $580 million will be spent on construction and modernization of telecommunications in the region.Expected to be built:
- A network of TETRATetrathumb|right|250px|Pristella tetra — [[Pristella maxillaris]].thumb|right|250px|Golden Pristella tetra, a [[morph |morph]] of [[Pristella maxillaris]].thumb|right|250px|[[Silvertip tetra]] — Hasemania nana....
mobile radio communications for 100 user groups (with capacity of 10 thousand subscribers); of fiber-optic cablesFiber-optic communicationFiber-optic communication is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending pulses of light through an optical fiber. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave that is modulated to carry information...
along the AnapaAnapaAnapa is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov. It was originally a seaport for the Natkhuay tribe of the Adyghe people. Population: The town boasts a number of sanatoria and hotels...
-DzhubgaDzhubgaDzhubga is a seaside resort settlement in Tuapsinsky District of Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located west of Tuapse. Population: The name originated from the indigenous people of Dzhubga, the Shapsug, who are a subgroup of the Adyghe...
-SochiSochiSochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
highways and Dzhubga-KrasnodarKrasnodarKrasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:...
branch; - Digital broadcasting infrastructure, including radio and TV broadcasting stations (building and communications tower) with coverage from Grushevaya Polyana (Pear Glade) to Sochi and Anapa cities. The project also includes construction of infocommunications centre for broadcasting abroad via three HDTV satelliteSatelliteIn the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s.
During the Olympic Games, the telecommunications backbones of UTK, Rostelecom
Rostelecom
Rostelecom network, which as of August 2006, covered Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Volgograd, Stavropol, and planned to cover the whole of Russia by the end of 2006.-Satellite network:...
and TransTeleCom providers will be used.
The fiber-optic channel links Sochi between Adler
Adlersky City District
Adlersky City District is the southernmost of four city districts of the city of Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, lying along the Black Sea coast near the southern Russian border with Abkhazia, Georgia...
and Krasnaya Polyana. The 46 km (28.6 mi) long channel will enable videoconferencing and news reporting from the Olympics.
Power infrastructure
A five year strategy for increasing power supply in the Sochi region was presented by Russian energy experts during a seminar on 29 May 2009, held by the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, and attended by International Olympic Committee (IOC) experts and officials from the Russian Ministry of Regional Development, the Russian Ministry of Energy, the State Corporation Olimpstroy and the Krasnodar Krai administration.The event was a part of the Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM) program by the IOC.
According to the strategy, the capacity of the regional energy network will increase by two and a half times by 2014, guaranteeing stable power supply during and after the Games.
Power demand of Sochi in the end of May 2009 was 424 MW. Power demand of the Olympic infrastructure is expected to be about 340 MW.
- "Poselkovaya" electrical substationElectrical substationA substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
became operational in early 2009. - Sochi thermal power stationThermal power stationA thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime mover is steam driven. Water is heated, turns into steam and spins a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator. After it passes through the turbine, the steam is condensed in a condenser and recycled to where it was heated; this...
is being reconstructed (expected power output is 160 MW). - "Laura" and "Rosa Khutor" electrical substations were completed in November 2010.
- "Mzymta" electrical substation was completed in March 2011.
- "Krasnopolyanskaya" hydroelectricHydroelectricityHydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
power stationPower stationA power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
was completed in 2010. - Adler CHPCombined Heat and PowerCombined Heat and Power may refer to:* Cogeneration* Combined Heat and Power Solar...
station design and construction will be completed in 2012. Expected power output is 360 MW. - "Bytkha" substation, to be constructed with two transformerTransformerA transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
s 25 MW each, will include dependable microprocessor-based protection.
Earlier plans also include building combined cycle
Combined cycle
In electric power generation a combined cycle is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem off the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy, which in turn usually drives electrical generators...
(steam and gas) power stations near the cities of Tuapse
Tuapse
Tuapse is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik and north of Sochi. It serves as the administrative center of Tuapsinsky District, although administratively it is separate from it...
and Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is the country's main port on the Black Sea and the leading Russian port for importing grain. It is one of the few cities honored with the title of the Hero City. Population: -History:...
and construction of a cable-wire powerline, partially on the floor of the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
.
Transportation
The transportation infrastructure being prepared to support the Olympics includes many roads, tunnels, bridges, interchanges, railroads and stations in and around Sochi.The Sochi Light Metro
Sochi Light Metro
The Sochi Light Metro is a public transportation system under construction in Sochi, Russia, that is slated for completion in 2013 before the 2014 Winter Olympics in that city....
will be constructed between Adler
Adlersky City District
Adlersky City District is the southernmost of four city districts of the city of Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, lying along the Black Sea coast near the southern Russian border with Abkhazia, Georgia...
and Krasnaya Polyana to connect the Olympic Park, the airport
Adler-Sochi International Airport
Sochi International Airport is an airport located in Adler District of the resort city of Sochi, on the coast of the Black Sea in the federal subject of Krasnodar Krai, Russia....
and the venues in Krasnaya Polyana.
The existing 102 km Tuapse to Adler railroad will be reconstructed to provide double track throughout, increasing capacity and enabling a reliable regional service to be provided. The railroad will also be extended to the airport. In December 2009 Russian Railways
Russian Railways
The Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...
ordered 38 Siemens Mobility Desiro trains for delivery in 2013 for use during the Olympics, with an option for a further 16 which would be partly built in Russia.
Russian Railways
Russian Railways
The Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...
is going to establish a high-speed Moscow-Adler link and a new railroad (more than 60 km long) passing by the territory of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
At the Sochi airport
Adler-Sochi International Airport
Sochi International Airport is an airport located in Adler District of the resort city of Sochi, on the coast of the Black Sea in the federal subject of Krasnodar Krai, Russia....
, a new terminal has been built and a 3.5 km (2.2 mi) runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
extension is planned, possibly overlapping Mzymta river
Mzymta River
Mzymta is a river in Western Caucasus, Russia, flowing through Krasnodar Krai and the city of Sochi. Mzymta is the biggest river in Russia emptying into the Black Sea. Length: 89 km; watershed area: 885 km²....
. Backup airports will be built in Gelendzhik
Gelendzhik
Gelendzhik is a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, between Novorossiysk and Tuapse . Greater Gelendzhik sprawls for along the coastline and covers an area of 122,754 ha...
, Mineralnye Vody
Mineralnye Vody
Mineralnye Vody is a town in Stavropol Krai, Russia, which lies along the Kuma River and the main rail line between Rostov-on-Don and Baku . Population:...
and Krasnodar
Krasnodar
Krasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:...
by 2009.
At the Sochi sea port, a new offshore terminal will be constructed 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) from the shore to allow docking for cruise ships with capacities of 3000 passengers. The cargo terminal of the sea port is to be moved from the Sochi centre.
Road ways will be detoured, some going around the construction site and others being cut off.
In May 2009 Russian Railways started the construction of tunnel complex No.1 (the total will be six) on the combined road (automobile and railway) from Adler to Alpica Service Mountain Resort in Krasnaya Polyana region. The tunnel complex No.1 is located near Akhshtyr settlement in Adlersky City District, and includes:
- escape tunnel, 2.25 km, completed in 2010,
- road tunnel, 2153 m, to be completed in Q1 2013,
- one-track railway tunnel, 2473 m, to be completed in Q2 2013.
Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin
Vladimir Yakunin
Vladimir Ivanovich Yakunin is a Russian official, president of state-run Russian Railways company. Yakunin is a close ally of the former Russian president Vladimir Putin and is considered to be one of the members of his inner circle.-Biography:...
said the road construction will cost more than 200 billion rubles.
Other infrastructure
Funds will be spent on construction of 15 modern sport venues and some hotels for 10,300 guests. The first of the Olympic hotels, "Zvezdny" (Stellar), will be rebuilt anew."Federation Island" will be built in the sea near the Lesser Akhun subdistrict of Khostinsky City District. The island will be shaped like the Russian Federation. It will hold hotels and offices.
Significant funds are to be spent on construction of advanced sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
system in Sochi, being designed by Olimpstroy. The system meets BREF standards and employs top available technologies for environment protection, including tertiary treatment with microfiltration
Microfiltration
Microfiltration is a membrane technical filtration process which removes contaminants from a fluid by passage through a microporous membrane. A typical microfiltration membrane pore size range is 0.1 to 10 micrometres...
.
Sports
Fifteen winter sports events were included in the 2014 Winter Olympics. The eight sports categorized as ice sports were: bobsledBobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
, luge
Luge
A Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
, skeleton
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
, ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
, speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
, short track speed skating
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
and curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
. The three sports categorized as alpine skiing and snowboarding events were: alpine
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, freestyle
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
. The four sports categorized as Nordic events were: biathlon
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
and Nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
. A total of twelve new events in five sports will be contested at these games.
Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each sport.
On 6 April 2011, the IOC accepted a number of events that were submitted by their respective sports federations to be considered for inclusion into the official program of these Olympic Games.
The events include:
- Figure skating team eventFigure skatingFigure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
- Women's ski jumpingSki jumpingSki jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
- Mixed relay biathlonBiathlonBiathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
- Ski half-pipeHalf-pipeA half-pipe is a structure used in gravity extreme sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, freestyle BMX, and inline skating. The structure is wood, concrete, metal, earth, or snow. It resembles a cross section of a swimming pool, essentially two concave ramps , topped by copings and...
- Team relay lugeLugeA Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
Other events that were also considered to be included had their decision postponed for further study, however on 4 July 2011 the IOC announced both these events would be added to the program. These three disciplines were officially declared by Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
on 5 July 2011.
- SkiSkiingSkiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
slopestyleSlopestyleSlopestyle is a popular type of competition for winter action sports; which originated as a snowboarding competition format. Today, there are many sports that are considered to have this style of competition, of which skiing and snowboarding are two of the most common... - SnowboardSnowboardingSnowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
slopestyle - Snowboard parallel special slalom
Team alpine skiing was presented as a candidate for inclusion in the Olympic program but the Executive board of the IOC rejected this proposal. The International Ski Federation
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
persisted with the nomination and this is being considered. There were reports of Bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
potentially being added to the sports program, but the IOC rejected this request. Subsequently, the international governing body, Federation of International Bandy
Federation of International Bandy
The Federation of International Bandy is the international governing body for the sport of bandy. It was formed in 1955 in Stockholm, Sweden, and has had its base in Sweden since 1979. The present offices are situated in Katrineholm....
, decided to have Sochi host the 2014 Bandy World Championships during the Olympics.
On 28 November 2006, the Executive Board of the IOC decided not to include the following sports in the review process of the program.
- Ski mountaineeringSki mountaineeringSki mountaineering is form of ski touring that variously combines the sports of Telemark, Alpine, and backcountry skiing with that of mountaineering...
- Ski-orienteeringSki-orienteeringSki orienteering is a cross-country skiing endurance winter racing sport and one of the four orienteering disciplines recognized by the IOF...
- Winter triathlonWinter triathlonWinter triathlon is a multisport event involving the continuous and sequential completion of running, mountain biking and cross-country skiing all on snow...
Environment
Despite several expert statements that the construction of Olympic venues in the buffer area of the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
protected Caucasus Biosphere Reserve and Sochi National Park could be harmful, the IOC approved the plans. Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
of Russia said that the IOC and the Russian Government
Government of Russia
The Government of the Russian Federation exercises executive power in the Russian Federation. The members of the government are the prime minister , the deputy prime ministers, and the federal ministers...
assume all responsibility for any damage to the West Caucasus natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the Sochi bid, a wide array of construction is planned in the Grushevyi Ridge area. They include a cascade of hydroelectric power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
s on the Mzymta River
Mzymta River
Mzymta is a river in Western Caucasus, Russia, flowing through Krasnodar Krai and the city of Sochi. Mzymta is the biggest river in Russia emptying into the Black Sea. Length: 89 km; watershed area: 885 km²....
, sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
facilities, a high-speed rail link, a Mountain Olympic Village, a track for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton (which was relocated in May 2009), and a biathlon venue. Alpine skiing venues are being constructed in the Rosa Khutor plateau and the Psekhako Ridge area. Environmentalists propose building up Krasnaya Polyana instead of destroying nature reserve sites. Plans for construction of Olympic venues have been criticized by environmentalists as an opportunity to re-zone and partition the Sochi National Park, to allow sale of land to the private sector for development.
Environmentalists also oppose the plan of construction of a cargo terminal for ships in the mouth of the Psou River
Psou River
Psou River is a river in the West Caucasus. It flows along the Southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and forms a part of the border between Georgia and Russia. The river flows into the Black Sea. The length of the Psou is 57 km and the drainage basin is approximately...
in the Imereti Lowland, because this could lead to the destruction of the largest areas of sea-flooded shore and marshes.
On 3 July 2008, Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
directed some of the Olympic venues, such as the luge and bobsleigh track, to be relocated (The Russian National Sliding Centre
Russian National Sliding Centre
The Russian National Sliding Centre is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track that will be located in Rzhanaya Polyana, Russia, located 60 km northeast of Sochi...
was relocated in May 2009.). He said "In setting our priorities and choosing between money and the environment, we're choosing the environment."
Geologist Dr Sergei Volkov has fled to the Ukraine after speaking out about environmental and geological problems. He claims that mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
and uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
deposits, as well as the probability of landslides, make the location of the games hazardous. He also claims that the location of a cargo port was inappropriate. A storm there killed three seamen and destroyed $14 million of infrastructure.
Economy
According to IRN.Ru analytical agency, prices for land, located next to the shoreline, reach $150,000 per 100 m², while price per square metre in average panel apartment building on the outskirts of the city already reaches $2000. "As a result of 2014 Olympics euphoria prices will rise annually by 15–20%," speculates Irina Tyurina, press secretary of Russian Tourist Industry Union. This could lead to decrease in tourist interest to Sochi, which already has fallen below AnapaAnapa
Anapa is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov. It was originally a seaport for the Natkhuay tribe of the Adyghe people. Population: The town boasts a number of sanatoria and hotels...
, Gelendzhik
Gelendzhik
Gelendzhik is a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, between Novorossiysk and Tuapse . Greater Gelendzhik sprawls for along the coastline and covers an area of 122,754 ha...
and Adler.
After the IOC Evaluation Commission visited Sochi in February 2007, local authorities promised to buy the lands from Lower Imereti Bay long-time residents for a fair market price. But during the following half a year, no local resident could get his land approved as private property.
Circassians
Circassian organisations have also spoken out against the Olympics, pointing out that the Games will take place on land that had been inhabited by them since the beginning of recorded history by their ancestors until 1864, when the Russian-Circassian WarRussian-Circassian War
The Russian–Circassian War refers to a series of battles and wars in Circassia, the northwestern part of the Caucasus, which were part of the Russian Empire's conquest of the Caucasus lasting approximately 150 years, starting under the reign of Tsar Peter the Great and being completed in 1864...
forced up to 97 percent of the Circassians to move to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. They are demanding the Sochi 2014 Olympics be cancelled or moved unless Russia apologises for what the Circassians regard to be a genocide. Some Circassian groups have not expressed outright opposition to the Olympics but argue that symbols of Circassian history and culture should be included in the format, as Australia, United States, and Canada did with their indigenous populations in 2000, 2002, and 2010 respectively.
The games are viewed to be particularly offensive because they include the date of the 150th anniversary of what they consider a genocide. It has thus been a rallying cry for Circassian nationalists
Circassian Nationalism
Circassian nationalism is the desire among Circassians to establish an independent Circassian state with the contours of the former Circassia before it was conquered by Russia...
.
In particular, there is much ire over the use of a hill called "Red Hill". In 1864, a group of Circassians apparently tried to return home but were attacked and a battle ensued, ending in their massacre, and attaining the name "Red Hill" (for the blood spilt). There will be skiing and snowboarding on this hill.
Political stability and governance
The 2008 South Ossetia war2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, which broke out at the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, surprised the Olympic community. "It is not what the world wants to see. It is contrary to what the Olympic ideal stands for," said an IOC spokesperson. However, in November 2008, the IOC turned down a request by the Georgian National Olympic Committee
Georgian National Olympic Committee
The Georgian National Olympic Committee is a Georgian national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. It is an umbrella organization for 12 regional bodies, the Georgian Olympic Academy, the Georgian Olympians’ Association, and the Olympic Museum.The GNOC was established on October 6,...
to reconsider its decision to hold the Olympics on the territory "adjacent both to the [Russian-] occupied Abkhaz conflict zone, and to the extremely unstable and volatile North Caucasus".
Related concerns persist, regarding the region's safety and the desirability of hosting an Olympics in a conflict-ridden zone. "The region is such a muddied and bloodied aquarium of conflict that to pick out any one fish is impossible," says Oleg Nechiporenko, chief analyst for Russia's National Anti-Terrorist and Anti-Criminal Fund, in response to a 26 May 2010, car bombing, whose suspects include Russian nationalists, local mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
groups, separatists
Separatism
Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy...
and islamists in the North Caucasus, or a remnant of the war in Abhazia
Sochi borders Russia's six autonomous North Caucasus republics, home of the Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
and all of whom face "severe social problems that stem from massive unemployment and bad governance".
Russian Envoy to the North Caucasus Alexander Khloponin
Alexander Khloponin
Alexander Gennadyevich Khloponin was born on March 6, 1965 in Colombo, Ceylon . Khloponin was the governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai in Siberia, Russia....
told local law enforcement that "the violent scramble for assets" is likely to get worse as Russia invests heavily in tourist infrastructure and Olympic-caliber ski resorts.
Olympic Truce Sponsors
With a vote looming on the Olympic Truce at the United Nations, 177 countries are now co-sponsors of the truce.The goal, according to a statement posted on the United Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the UN, is to have all Member States as sponsors. There are 193 members of the UN General Assembly.
The official title of the Truce is: “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe will table the resolution, scheduled for a 10 a.m. vote on Oct. 17.
Broadcasting rights
– ORFORF (broadcaster)
Österreichischer Rundfunk, ORF, is the Austrian national public service broadcaster.Funded from a combination of a television licence fees and revenue from limited on-air advertising, ORF is the dominant player in the Austrian broadcast media...
; ATV
ATV (Austria)
ATV is currently the largest commercial television station in Austria and was originally the first commercial station to be aired via transmitters after a long time when commercial broadcasts in Austria were only possible via satellite or cable and the national public broadcaster ORF held a...
(Opening and closing ceremonies) – Rede Globo
Rede Globo
Rede Globo , or simply Globo, is a Brazilian television network, launched by media mogul Roberto Marinho on April 26, 1965. It is owned by media conglomerate Organizações Globo, being by far the largest of its holdings...
and Rede Bandeirantes
Rede Bandeirantes
Rede Bandeirantes , officially nicknamed Band or Band Network, is a television network from Brazil, based in São Paulo. Part of the Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação , it aired for the first time in 1967...
(exclusive all rights holders), Rede Record
Rede Record
Rede Record de Televisão is a Brazilian television network, founded in 1953 by Paulo Machado de Carvalho, also founder of Rádio Record. Currently it is owned by businessman Edir Macedo, founder and bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Since 2007 it is Brazil's second largest...
(only free-to-pay television) – Sportfive
Sportfive
SPORTFIVE is an international sports rights marketing agency with a global network of locations and affiliated companies.SPORTFIVE was formed in 2001 when the European Commission unconditionally approved the merger between the sports rights activities of Jean-Claude Darmon, Sport+, a subsidiary of...
; rights in each country to be resold to local broadcasters, except France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland and United Kingdom – YLE – France Télévisions
France Télévisions
France Télévisions is the French public national television broadcaster. It is a state-owned company formed from the bringing together of the public television channels France 2 and France 3 , later joined by the legally independent channels France 5 , France Ô , and France 4 France Télévisions ...
– ARD
ARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
; ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
– Sky Italia
Sky Italia
Sky Italia S.r.l. is an Italian digital satellite television platform owned by News Corporation launched on 1 August 2003, when the former platforms TELE+ and Stream TV merged together...
– TV 2
TV 2 (Norway)
TV 2 is the largest commercial television station in Norway. Over 30% of the time Norwegians spend watching TV is spent watching TV 2. The station has 65% of the market for TV commercials in Norway....
– SBS – SBS – RTVE
RTVE
The Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española, S.A. or Corporación Radiotelevisión Española is the state-owned public corporation that assumed the indirect management of the Spanish public radio and television service from Ente Público Radiotelevisión Española in 2007...
– MTG
Modern Times Group
Modern Times Group is a Swedish media company. MTG was formed out of the media holdings of investment company Kinnevik, which in 1997 was distributed to the company stockholders. Among the assets were Viasat and Metro International...
– SRG SSR – FOX – NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
External links
- Sochi 2014 from the International Olympic Committee
- Official website
- Organization Committee of NoSochi2014 Olympics website
- International Olympic Committee
- Olimpstroy state corporation
- Sochi citizen photo blog about Sochi
- Russian volunteers at 2010 Paralympic Games
- Sochi: an Olympic makeover by Galina Masterova, 23 2010 to Russia Now
- Google Maps (Satellite Image) (Latitude: 43.404 Longitude: 39.953)