SOCHI, Russia — A top International Olympic Committee official says any construction delays could threaten Russia’s ambitious plans for the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.
SOCHI, Russia — A top International Olympic Committee official says any construction delays could threaten Russia’s ambitious plans for the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin assured the IOC on Thursday that construction and financing are on schedule. Jean-Claude Killy, the French Olympic ski great who heads the IOC panel overseeing the Sochi Games, urged organizers to keep work at a steady pace. "Time is not a luxury that we have to play with on this project," Killy said Thursday as he wrapped up the second major visit by the IOC coordination panel since Sochi was awarded the games in July 2007. "The Sochi team must therefore ensure that it makes its decisions in a timely manner, so as to maintain its ambitious schedule," he said at a news conference. Putin, dining later with the visitors, assured them that all is well. "We have said more than once that no matter what the difficulties, the necessary resources would be issued in full and on time — and this is what is happening," Putin said, according to state-run RIA-Novosti and ITAR-Tass. Most of the venues for Russia’s first Winter Olympics are being built from scratch, including the seaside site that is to include ice arenas, a ceremonial stadium and the main Olympic Village. Another major project is a new road and rail link from the shore to the mountains inland at Krasnaya Polyana, where snow sport events will be held. "We must not underestimate the size and complexity of what our Russian friends will achieve here," Killy said. Putin said construction is proceeding as planned. "I want to stress: We are getting this done. Moreover, the construction of some facilities is ahead of schedule," the Russian news agencies quoted him as saying. Russia’s Olympic plans have faced opposition from environmentalists and Sochi residents who will be evicted from their homes to make way for the games. Critics also have said the Olympics will leave the balmy resort city with unneeded ice venues. Putin acknowledged that criticism, saying that "five ice arenas on the Black Sea shore is an excessive amount." In televised remarks, he suggested dismantling three of them after the games and moving them to other Russian cities "with the aim of developing winter sports and popularizing the Olympic movement." Killy said proposed project design will make travel between the venues far easier than in previous games. "These games are going to be probably the most compact games ever, which means that going from one end to another will take 35 minutes," he said. Killy said he may return to Sochi on a private visit in six weeks to monitor the progress of building work for the Olympics, whose overall budget is estimated at $13 billion. He and other panel members spent two days mostly hearing progress reports from Sochi organizers. When Sochi was awarded the games following a push strongly supported by Putin, then president, Russia was still riding high on the crest of an eight-year, oil-fueled boom. Since then, oil prices have plummeted and caused Russia’s economy to shrink for the first time in nearly a decade, slowing the construction industry and cutting deep into the fortunes of Kremlin-friendly tycoons who are footing part of the bill. But Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, who is overseeing Sochi preparations, also said construction of Olympic facilities is on course. "This allows us to say confidently that both the sports facilities and infrastructure necessary for the competition will be built on time, and most facilities will be completed by 2012," Kozak said at the news conference. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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