But Jean-Claude Killy, head of the IOC Coordination Commission currently making its first visit to the Russian Black Sea resort, also believes the Games “have the potential to be truly magnificent.”
Speaking at the opening of two days of visits and meetings with the Sochi Organising Committee, he praised Russia’s winter sports knowledge and experience and the passion of the Russian people for the Olympic Games.
“The Russian people will be a great strength in organising the Games. The Russian people have a great passion for the Olympic movement, the Olympic Games and winter sports in general,” he said.
“The support the Olympic Movement has in Russia is something we feel very privileged to have and is why we must deliver the best games possible in Sochi in 2014. The Russian people have always taken these Games to their hearts and we must not disappoint them when 2014 comes around.”
Killy said that he and his Commission has been “very impressed” by what they had seen on a tour of Games sites and the speed with which progress was being made.
And he highlighted the role that Russian athletes would play in ensuring the success of the Games.
“One of the essential tasks of the Russian Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sport will be to ensure that the Russian winter athletes arrive at 2014 in the best shape possible to represent their nation at the Olympic Games and this will be one of the key factor of the overall success of Sochi 2014.,” he said.
“All the commission members and I look forward to working closely with ( the Sochi Organising Committee) in the coming months years and days and while much still remains to be done, I have every confidence that we will succeed.”
