The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the most significant athletic forum in the world. The Games have long ago ceased being just another sporting event – the modern Olympic Games are now also a colossal stimulus for the development of the country in which they are held. The Games bring long-term positive social and economic changes in addition to making it possible to establish new standards and to popularize the Olympic and Paralympic values. This rich legacy – material and non-material – remains in the host country for many years, which is why many nations compete for the right to host the Games. For the winning country, the Games are a project of national value.
There are many examples of when the Olympic and Paralympic Games have transformed and rejuvenated the image of a city, its infrastructure and economy. There were instances where the Games practically gave cities a new life. For example, the industrial center of Barcelona has become a worldwide tourist resort and Beijing became a true showcase of modern China’s achievements. Sochi 2014’s legacy plans became one of the key reasons in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members’ decision to award the 2014 Winter Games to Russia.
The Sochi 2014 Games will not only rejuvenate the city of Sochi, but will also contribute to the economic, cultural and environmental development of the entire Krasnodar Region. They will make it possible to create new standards in ecology, strategy and corporate governance. In other words, Sochi will become an example to other cities of Russia and the world. The Games in Sochi will leave behind an invaluable legacy, whose benefits will be utilized by Russian citizens long after the Games themselves become history.
