Officials announced that the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics "made an operating profit" of 3.25B rubles ($53.15M), according to Andrew Downie of REUTERS. The IOC said that "it was planning to give its share of the profits back to the Russian organizers." Spokesperson Mark Adams said, "The IOC has already decided to transfer its 20 percent ... to the Russian Olympic Committee" (REUTERS, 2/26).
PYEONGCHANG 2018: In a separate piece, Andrew Downie wrote IOC Exec Dir Christophe Dubi said that Olympic chiefs admit that "they need to work closer and earlier with cities and governments who are preparing to host future Games." The IOC "has been forced to step in to help organizers of both the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang because of question marks over their preparedness." The IOC's exec committee on Friday announced that "it was setting up an integrated working group to help Pyeongchang, while last year they named a point man to more closely monitor Rio's preparations." Dubi: "We have probably learned from these two experiences that we have to force integration probably earlier. It is just normal that all these big planning entities are working in silo, and forcing integration earlier in the life cycle of the organizing committee is definitely something that we have to bring on board" (REUTERS, 2/28). Downie also wrote PyeongChang Organizing Committee President Cho Yang-ho said that fall venues for
the 2018 Winter Olympics "are on schedule and no events will be held
outside host city PyeongChang and nearby Gangneung." He said, "We are ready for test events and venues are on schedule." Cho added that PyeongChang was "redesigning some of the venues in an effort to reduce the cost" but did not give details of the sites or how much money might be saved (REUTERS, 2/27).
RULE CHANGE: Downie also wrote Olympic officials "could change the rule that obliges athletes to halt advertising campaigns during the Games in time for Rio 2016." The IOC's exec committee "approved the move" and will put the plan before the next full IOC session in Kuala Lumpur in July. Adams: "The IOC would ... allow generic, i.e. not Olympic advertising, during the period of the Games which hasn't been allowed till now" (REUTERS, 2/26).
RIO PROTESTS: In a separate story, Downie wrote IOC President Thomas Bach "defended Rio de Janeiro’s venues and legacy projects on Saturday after protesters gathered outside his hotel to loudly criticize the environmental impact of the 2016 Summer Games." A few dozen protesters chanted "IOC go home!" At least "two women invaded the hotel overlooking Copacabana beach." One woman, who fought her way past security guards, shouted, "You want to see robbers, they're here, the IOC." Bach, however, said that legacy projects "would leave Rio a much better city once the games were over." He said, "The irrigation of the golf course does not affect the drinking water resources of Rio de Janeiro." Bach added that water "was not being taken from drinking water reserves" (REUTERS, 2/28).
