Olympic and Paralympic Flags Raised in Sochi

The flags’ arrival coincided with the Session of Presidential Council for Physical Culture, Sports and Preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi as well as the World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan. 29 Mar 2010 By IPC

Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko said: "This is a historic day for Sochi as my native city has become the official keeper of the main symbols of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements. We are next!"

The journey of the flags, representing the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, to the host city of the next Winter Games began with charter flight from Vancouver. Continuing by rail on a Sochi 2014 branded train, a special motorcade delivered them to their final destination – the Sochi City Administration Square .

President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev gave a speech in honor of this historic event for Sochi and Russia.

The flags’ arrival ceremony was also attended by high-profile guests, including Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko, Mayor of Sochi Anatoly Pakhomov, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Cross-Country Skiing champion Nikita Kriukov, 2010 Olympic Biathlon champion Anna Bogaliy-Titovets, 2010 Olympic Silver and Bronze Speed Skating medallist Ivan Skobrev, 2010 Olympic Bobsleigh Bronze medallists Alexey Voevoda and Alexander Zoubkov, 2010 Olympic Ice Dancing medallists Maxim Shabalin and Oksana Domnina, four-gold 2010 Paralympic champion Irek Zaripov, two-gold 2010 Paralympic champions Kirill Mikhaylov and Anna Burmistrova, 2010 Paralympic gold and three-silver medalist Nikolay Polukhin, and six-time Paralympic champion Sergey Shilov.

On arrival in Sochi, the Olympic and Paralympic Flags were handed to marines and coast guards on the Sochi City Administration Square. Subsequently, to the sounds of the Olympic and Paralympic anthems, the flags were raised by 2010 Vancouver Games champions and Sochi 2014 Ambassadors Nikita Kriukov and Irek Zaripov.

Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko said: "This is a historic day for Sochi as my native city has become the official keeper of the main symbols of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements. We are next! Now, the most crucial and difficult stage of preparation stands before us. Our presentations during the Handover Ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic flags were bright and memorable events. The entire world now is expecting us to stage an outstanding Games in 2014. We are moving towards this goal with confidence."

The Olympic and Paralympic Flags will be kept in the foyer of the Sochi Administration building. The flags will be raised on special occasions.

For more information on Sochi 2014, please visit the official website at www.sochi2014.com.