Olympic Commission Inspects Moscow Venues

Venues For 2012 Games Inspected By Olympic Evaluation Commission

Moscow, Tuesday 15 March 2005: A tour of Moscow’s key sports competition venues was the major feature of the second day’s work by the International Olympic Committee’s Evaluation Commission. Venues visited included Luzhniki Olympic Park and proposed venue sites such as those designated for the Olympic Village, International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre.

Olympic Champion and Vice Executive Director of Moscow 2012, Dmitry Svatkovsky, led the tour to show the Evaluation Commission how two-thirds of the city’s venues are already on the ground, including the main stadium and the site for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at Luzhniki Olympic Park.

Ten of more than 500 Olympic Champions living in Moscow joined the Evaluation Commission – many of them Olympic Champions themselves – on the venue tours, to give the essential athletes’ perspective.

“I am certain that the members of the Evaluation Commission were impressed by Moscow’s excellent sporting venues which we toured today,” said Valery Shantsev, Vice Mayor of Moscow and Chairman of the Moscow 2012 Bid Committee.

The Commission was told that Moscow’s plan for the Games is totally deliverable because all the land required for the venues is secured, planning permission has been granted and development just awaits the go ahead.

One such project is the J. A. Samaranch National Tennis Centre which was visited by members of the Evaluation Commission today. This world class sporting facility will be developed regardless of whether Moscow wins the right to host the 2012 Games.

Moscow has all required and necessary guarantees of support from the federal government. The guarantees cover all financial and other obligations related to organising the Games in 2012.

The legacy that the Games would leave to Moscow was a key area of interest to the Commission. Valery Shantsev said: “If we are chosen as the 2012 Host City then, as with the 1980 Games, the people of Moscow will directly benefit from the fast-paced improvements to our infrastructure. After the Games, the Olympic venues would be employed as world class sports facilities to benefit our next generation of athletes and the general public.”

The third day of the Commission’s visit will include presentations on key themes, including the political and economic climate and security plans. In the evening, the Commission will attend a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, enjoy a private tour of the Kremlin and dine with Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

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