Kevan Gosper has predicted the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia will be one of the great games of our times.

Gosper, Chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Press Commission, told a world media briefing in the Olympic city, “Sochi will deliver one of the great Games of our times, not just a Winter Games, a great Games.”

He said Russia is using Sochi 2014 to showcase itself to the world in a similar way to how China did with Beijing in 2008.

“Russia is making a new presentation to the world through these Games,” Gosper said.   

Sochi, a coastal resort on the Black Sea, about 1000km from Moscow is being transformed for the Olympics which are 15 months away.

He told media from around the globe they will see firsthand the “can do” of the new Russia, 23 years after the breakup of the old Soviet Union.

“Progress here has been extraordinary. Twelve months ago I came here and now I can’t believe the change. The Winter Games has risen in popularity and is just as attractive as the Summer Games.”

Sochi 2014 is building two clusters for their event - a mountain cluster and a coastal cluster. They will be joined by a new 47 kilometre highway, 37km of it is underground. It is one of three new highways being built for the Games.

“The plan is to change Sochi from a tourist resort from a half year destination to a full year destination. This has been a Putin dream for some time. They bid in 1998 and in 2002 and won on the third attempt,” Gosper said.

Everything is being built from scratch including new hotels, schools and hospitals. In all there will be 800 new venues. 

Mike Tancred
AOC Media Director
Sochi, Russia