PyeongChang (RWH) With little more than 160 days to go to the 2018 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission paid its ninth and final visit to Korean host city PyeongChang.
Additionally to the Commission members, partners and government officials, the seven International Olympic Winter Sports Federations were on site. The International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation IBSF was represented by President Ivo Ferriani and Secretary General Heike Größwang.
“We have seen latest updates on various matters. POCOG has made great progress in the last months and we are very much confident to see well organized Games”, said President Ivo Ferriani, who is an IOC member since 2016, after returning from PyeongChang. “I took the opportunity to visit the Alpensia Sliding Center and was quite impressed about the latest developments – the sliding sports are ready to host great events there. In regards to the legacy plans for the venue there is still some work to do but we will cooperate with POCOG, our National Federations and the public authorities to get the best solutions.”
During its visit, the Commission was reported on areas such as athlete and National Olympic Committee services, sport, spectator experience, the Paralympic Games, marketing, venues, communications and legacy.
During the Commission’s visit at the Gangneung Olympic Park, the delegation was joined by students from nearby Gangneung Haeram Middle School. The young people showed the Coordination Commission how to construct a welcome gift that Olympic Winter athletes and accredited media will receive when they check into their respective villages.
The Coordination Commission were presented the new highspeed train station at Jinbu, that will connect Seoul to the Alpensia mountain region and Gangneung coastal areas and will leave a legacy for decades to come.
Commission Chair, Ms.Gunilla Lindberg thanked all International Wintersports Federations for their great support and the cooperation with POCOG to guarantee best sports facilities for the athletes.
After the successful Olympic Test event at the finals of the 2016/2017 BMW IBSF World Cup, the IBSF athletes will go back to the Alpensia Sliding Center in less than two month. From October 21-28, the Olympic sliding track will stage the final International Training Period for bobsleigh and skeleton sports. ©RWH2017