OLYMPICS. Andrey Braginski: Ronningen isn’t the consultant of the Bid “Sochi 2014”

The Norwegian expert Petter Ronningen, who ran the Bid Committee “Lillehammer 1994”, gave the unfavorable opinion about the Austrian Salzburg and complimentary enough said about Russian Sochi, when he evaluated the Candidate Cities the Olympic Games 2014 on May, 29 in his interview to the News Agencies AFP and Reuters, that’s why the Bid Committee Salzburg 2014 gave the official complaint to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), isn’t the consultant of the Bid Committee Sochi 2014. The director of marketing communications of the Bid Committee Sochi 2014 Andrey Braginski told about it to the Agency of sport information “All Sport”.

“Certainly we know about the interview of Petter Renningen and the reaction that followed it, -- Andrey Braginski said. – But we don’t agree with the presentation that is made to Petter Renningen. Certainly, he is a very experienced and authoritative expert, he ran the Bid Committee Lillehammer 1994, he was the member of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the elections of several Winter Olympic Games. But he is not and has never been the official consultant of the Bid Committee Sochi 2014. We have several groups of consultants, but Petter Ronningen is not and has never been in any of them. Before the visit of the IOC Evaluation Commission to Sochi on February 20-23 he really spent about two weeks in Sochi with our invitation, he visited the Olympic objects, expressed his observations and remarks. It was very important for us to hear the opinion of such an experienced expert, to say it on the spot. After his visit we haven’t collaborated and spoken with Petter Ronningen”.

Andrey Braginski has also refused to comment the interview of Petter Ronningen to the News Agencies AFP and Reuters. “On the request of the News Agencies he gave his private interview and expressed his personal opinion. It is not correct to comment it for the officials of the Bid Committee Sochi 2014. And generally speaking the interview of Petter Ronningen hasn’t evoked for us any special emotions”, -- Andrey Braginski said.

However we adduce the most interesting parts from the interview of Petter Ronningen with some shortening: “When I heard that Salzburg invoke the name of the Lillehammer Games and say they are the candidate who most reflects them then I have to scratch my head in amazement. It is the wrong message from Salzburg. If they are going to do so then bring the Games back to Lillehammer. Of course I am glad they are invoking our experience, our ideas, but to my mind any bid city should have their own identity. Salzburg have had a rocky campaign after starting out as favorites, with reports of internal fighting, financial troubles and several different chief executives. The other two by contrast have had relatively smooth ones with Pyeonchang being credited for a much more subtle campaign than last time while Sochi have been as one IOC member put it 'right in our faces' as they battle to overcome the doubts over their bid being 'a virtual reality one' as there are as yet no facilities. There are many similarities with our bid. We are both countries with strong winter conditions. We are both nations that are basically born with skis on our feet. Sochi's lack of winter sports continues the line with Lillehammer - we had zero. All our venues were built for the Games and has left a real legacy, which is what Sochi is also claiming. Our Games inspired a new generation of winter sportsmen which has been so inspiring for athletics and young people. The legacy is very important for the IOC as it leaves something for the country and the cities”.