Putin: Russia ready to host Olympics, defend ideals

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the Russian Olympic Committee on the 115th anniversary of its founding and recalled Russia’s historic role in the Olympic movement. According to the TASS news agency, he said the country was among the founding members of the International Olympic Committee and has regularly taken part in the modern Olympic Games since 1900.

In his message, Putin noted that Russia has hosted the Olympic Games twice – in 1980 in Moscow and in 2014 in Sochi. He said both events were held at a high organisational and creative level, which he said was appreciated by the International Olympic Committee.

‘I would like to emphasize that Russia is also open to hosting the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in the future and is ready to contribute to the preservation of the true ideals of Olympism,’ he concluded.

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