RUSSIA:Vladimir Putin is pushing hard to secure the Winter Olympics, writes Conor Sweeney, in Moscow
As he skied expertly down the slopes near the Russian resort of Sochi last week, President Vladimir Putin was setting his sights on claiming Olympic gold for his country. With London beating Moscow for the 2012 summer games, the Kremlin was refocusing on the next competition, the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The Russians believe it is about time they got the chance to host the games, with huge support from the president behind the latest attempt.
Emulating Britain's Tony Blair, Mr Putin sought personally to convince the visiting delegation from the International Olympic Committee last week that with a €10 billion investment, the small town on the Black Sea coast can be brought to Olympic standards.
At the moment, the Austrian resort of Salzburg is the clear frontrunner to beat both Sochi and Pyeongchang in South Korea. But the Russians are convinced that given their strong record in the medal rankings, it is their turn. Among the festivities laid on for the visitors was a special performance by a former ice skiing champion on a specially constructed rink in the town.
Addressing the visitors, Mr Putin said: "We are going to spend this money not on guns and cartridges . . . but on something that will help people get together." After emphasising the benefits of sport for boosting international harmony, he swept his way down the slopes of the nearby mountain to prove his point.
The visiting delegation heard something similar last week in Korea and no doubt the spirit of the Olympics will be invoked in Salzburg too, but it's hard to imagine the leaders of either country investing quite so much of their own prestige in securing a victory.
Russian TV channels and papers are giving the bid widespread coverage too, ensuring that the outcome will not be ignored when announced in July.
Construction on new facilities began only last week, with the government adamant that the project to create a year-round playground at the sub-tropical resort, the warmest place in Russia, will go ahead no matter what the verdict. At present there are limited winter sport facilities near the town on the Black Sea coast, which has been a summer holiday destination for generations of Russians.
"Whether we are awarded the Olympics or not, we need to develop Sochi because there are very few rest and recreation areas in the country for our citizens," Mr Putin said. "Sochi is an ideal option because it combines the sea and these wonderful mountains." He also believes that European holidaymakers may switch the Alps for the Caucasus.
Fortunately for the town's own aspirations, it's also President Putin's favourite resort, where he skis in winter and enjoys the balmy summer climate. It has also become something akin to a Russian version of the US presidential retreat at Camp David. Last month Mr Putin introduced the visiting German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to his dog Connie when Dr Merkel came for official talks.
The Sochi project has also attracted criticism from environmental groups, warning that the traditional hunting grounds of wild bears will be torn up.
Deftly showing his ability to answer all critics, if he feels like it, Mr Putin insisted he was aware of the concerns. "We have established pretty good contacts with environmental organisations, including international ones," he said. "I think we would have committed a very serious mistake if we had not taken into account the views of environmental organisations."