Sochi To Host 2014 Winter Olympics

29 Apr 2008 | tshego

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The Russian ski resort of Sochi is to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games after
winning the vote ahead of rival candidature cities Salzburg (Austria) and
PyeongChang (Republic of Korea).

Sochi won through against PyeongChang in the final round of voting via the
close margin of 51 votes to 47. Salzburg was eliminated in the first round of
voting.

The decision was announced by IOC president Jacques Rogge at the governing
body’s 119th Session in Guatemala City where Sochi signed the host city contract
which sets out the legal, commercial and financial rights and obligations laid
down by the IOC.

Following the lead of Tony Blair who played a pivotal role in winning the
London bid for the 2012 Games, Russian president Vladimir Putin was credited
with helping Sochi’s bid, after he addressed delegates in three languages –
English, Spanish and French.

For Salzburg and Pyeongchang, this was their second consecutive defeat. Both
had lost out in the bidding for the 2010 Winter Games, which will be held in the
Canadian city of Vancouver.