Sochi 2014 organisers are being backed to iron out any outstanding issues in the remaining days leading up to start of the Winter Olym-pic Games.
Dmitry Chernyshenko, president of the Sochi 2014 organising committee, gave a final update on preparations during the weekend to the International Olympic Committee’s executive board ahead of next Friday’s opening ceremony.
The threat of terrorist attacks and the prospect of protests against Russian law banning gay ‘propaganda’ among minors have been hot topics during the build-up to the Games and finishing touches to accommodation in the mountains have also come under the spotlight in recent days.
The Australian Olympic Committee has told its athletes to travel only on official Olympic transport between venues and not venture outside the Olympic Park precinct on the Black Sea coast and the mountain villages of Krasnaya Polyana, Esto-Sadok and Rosa Khutor, which are all secure and purpose built for the Games.
But the International Olympic Committee is satisfied with security arrangements for the Games.
“We haven’t given any advice to athletes and we believe that security is being handled very well by the Russian authorities,” said IOC spokesman Mark Adams at a media briefing.
“Very often National Olympic Committees have rules for their athletes and very often that means athletes staying close to the Olympic Park or the Athletes’ Village.”
On the subject of anti-gay laws protests the IOC’s stance was reiterated, namely that athletes will be “perfectly entitled to free speech at press conferences”.
There is confidence too that accommodation for accredited media in the mountains will be completed in time.
“As I understand it there are a few hotels that are not completely ready,” said Adams, “but that does not mean they are empty shells with no beds.
“Rooms are in the process of being finished, final touches are being done and accommodation will be ready by the time the Games start.
“Every Games has some last-minute issues and these are being handled very well.”
IOC president Thomas Bach has made the protection of clean athletes a priority and drug testing ahead of the Sochi Games is under way.
So far, 98 tests have been carried out since last Thursday.
There will be 2,453 tests in total – 1,269 will be pre-competition and 1,184 post-competition.
Meanwhile, three Indian athletes competing at the Games will compete as independent athletes under an IOC flag.
The IOC suspended the Indian Olympic Association a year ago for violations of its charter, including electing leaders with pending criminal charges.
Adams said: “There is a meeting of the Indian Olympic Association in the next couple of days but that is after the opening ceremony.
“Things seem to be on a good footing and we are hopeful that they will have followed our advice after discussions with us.”