Sochi 'has opened up new Olympic frontiers'

Sochi's victory in the race to host the 2014 Winter Olympics was a benchmark in Olympic history said their Games chief Dmitry Chernyshenko here on Thursday. Chernyshenko, who also headed the successful bid, claimed the success of the Russian Black Sea resort in persuading the majority of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members in Guatemala City in 2007 had opened the way for new markets for the Olympic Movement. Chernyshenko, who is from Sochi originally, said the two subsequent winners of hosting the Games had stemmed from that decision - Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Games and South Korea's Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Games. "I really appreciate the IOC members brave decision in 2007 to give the Games to a territory that was absolutely unknown," said Chernyshenko ahead of making a presentation to the IOC later Thursday. "Also they knew we had to start from scratch but the decision inspired new territories to bid. "It gives a good sign that new continents deserve to be opened up. "For instance with regard to South Africa, a bid from them would have extra leverage because of the World Cup they hosted last year. "The IOC, by giving the Games then to Rio and to Pyeongchang, is really opening new horizons, new destinations and new markets." Chernyshenko said that he could not of course speak for the IOC but the fact that these new regions were being handled the imposing and onerous responsibility of hosting the Games reflected well on the Olympic Movement. "It is of course up to the IOC to decide for themselves but I can only conclude its evident that new territories are delivering and it is a reflection of the health of the brand of the IOC," he said. Chernyshenko, a former advertising mogul, said Pyeongchang's landslide win on Wednesday - they became the first venue to win in the first round since the tarnished Salt Lake City in 1995 - was a prime example. For the Koreans - whom Sochi had stunned for the 2014 Gamles decision - had convinced the IOC they were more deserving than two candidates from the old traditional bedrock of Olympic Games, Europe, in Munich and the French alpine town of Annecy. "The Pyeongchang victory was well deserved, though, I was surprised it was in the first round," he said. "It showed for me that the IOC are very independent and very influential members of our society. "For they looked for who would leave the greatest legacy. The hosting of an Olympics is all about legacy..after all our motto when bidding was 'The Gateway to the future'."