IOC president: No complaints
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach didn’t proclaim the Sochi Games “the best ever.” Or anything, for that matter. In a departure from predecessors Juan Antonio Samaranch and Jacques Rogge, Bach didn’t give a personal pronouncement of the Games in his closing ceremony speech. Before they began, the Games were burdened by security concerns, massive cost overruns and infrastructure delays. But Bach said he did not hear a single complaint once the Olympics were underway. Athletes loved their venues and their villages, he said, particularly how close everything was. He told the story of eating breakfast with two athletes, who excused themselves to go to training. When Bach asked when practice was, they said 30 minutes. “This, for an athlete, is really unique and fascinating,” Bach said. “Doing this also for the competition venues is really, for athletes, just great.” Sochi was a special case, Bach said. The Russians lost all of their winter sports centers when the Soviet Union dissolved, and hosting the Olympics allowed them to rebuild. Sochi, previously known as a beach vacation spot, also wanted to become a year-round tourist destination. “There is no blueprint. Each edition of the Games has to be different,” Bach said. “The secret of the success of the Olympic Games is not the amount of investment and is not necessarily the new buildings. The secret of the success of the Olympic Games is to be authentic.” Russia won the most golds (13) and medals (33).