Russia defends 2014 Games from "interfering" Georgians

Published>Sat, Nov 27 10 01:46 AM

The Georgian government's plea to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the 2014 Winter Olympics from Sochi was not acceptable and represented meddling, a key Russian official said on Friday.

"It is completely unacceptable for politicians or governments to interfere with the business of the Olympic movement," Alexander Zhukov, the head of Russia's Olympic Committee, said at the sidelines of a meeting of European Olympic Committees in Belgrade.

Russia fought a brief war with Georgia in 2008 that resulted in the rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia breaking way from Georgia. Russia recognises the independence of both regions unlike the rest of the the international community.

Tensions between Russia and Georgia have remained high since the war and last week Georgia asked the IOC to reconsider holding the Games in Sochi, which is just outside Abkhazia.

Zhukov said such a move "goes against the spirit of the Olympic charter which is above politics," and that Sochi was democratically chosen as the venue for the Winter Olympics.

GOOD RELATIONS

"Russia has good sporting relations with Georgia and we will suport their bid to host the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival, a decision which is due to be announced tomorrow (Saturday)," he said.

"We will not support the statement of the (Georgian) goverment but we will support the Olympic Committee of Georgia."

The Northern Caucasus region is also a flashpoint where Islamic insurgents want to carve out a separate state, and last week a bomb exploded on a railway line in the Sochi area.

In May, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered tighter security at the 2014 Winter Games. Zhukov said the security of the event remains the key priority of the organisers.

"The investigation of this case is underway and... the safety of all visitors is of vital importance for our security services," said Zhukov, also the deputy prime minister for social affairs.

He said Russia's Olympic Committee is building "a new strategy" to improve on the country's performance at the 2010 Games in Vancouver where they won just three gold medals, their lowest ever tally.

"We are going to win in Sochi," he said.

Source: Web Search