President Putin’s Speech Before the International Olympic Committee Wins Russia the 2014 Sochi Bid

President Putin’s speech before the International Olympic Committee has contributed greatly to Russia winning the Sochi 2014 bid.

When Russia was awarded the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, almost everyone agreed that President Putin’s speech before the International Olympic Committee had played a vital role in their success.

The International Olympic Committee has gathered in Guatemala for its 119th session, when the remaining candidates: Sochi, Russia; Salzburg, Austria, and Pyeongchang, South Korea were presenting their last speeches, before the vote.

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has personally come to Guatemala to try and convince the Committee for the last time. However, no one has expected Putin to speak in three languages: Russian, English, and French. His speech was certainly key to Russia winning the Olympic big there and then.

Russian gambling news later reported, that even within the Russian delegation very few people if any were prepared for the President to take the stage and speak out himself.

Vladimir Putin’s speech at the IOC session in Guatemala

Putin even took a little trip down the memory lane in his speech, stating that: “The ancient Greeks lived around Sochi. I also saw the rock near Sochi to which as legend has it Prometheus was chained. It was Prometheus who gave people fire, fire which ultimately is the Olympic flame.”

The Russian President promised to build a high-class winter sports resort in Sochi, regardless whether the Games will be awarded to Russia or not. He said: ”Sochi is going to become a new world class resort for the new Russia. And the whole world!”

He closed his speech with: “And we shall be happy to see you in Russia and in Sochi as our guests. Thank you.” And his last words were in French: “The Olympic dream of millions of Russians awaits your decision with high hopes.”

Check out his speech in the video below: