IOC to Send Experts to Georgia
By Mariam Chanishvili
Wednesday, January 24
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will send a group of experts and advisers to Georgia to learn about the state of development and future prospects of mountain resorts. The decision was made by the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach at the meeting with the Prime Minister (PM), Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
The group of experts will observe the possibilities in Georgia, including the Youth Sports development.
“Our ultimate goal is to host the Winter Olympic Games in Georgia. In order to achieve this we need a strategy, a development plan. We hope to fulfil a very ambitious plan with the help of the group of experts; we will have an action plan for our annual activities,” stated Kvirikashvili.
PM talked about Georgia’s potential and the latest achievements of the country. The parties discussed the possibility of Georgia hosting the Winter Olympic Games.
Sharing the Swiss experience, it was noted that the development of mountain ski resorts is a priority for the Georgian government.
The President of the International Olympic Committee welcomed the initiatives of the PM, who serves the popularization of sports and Olympic values in the country.
"We are impressed with the activities carried out in your country in the last period. The International Olympic Committee is interested in sports development and in this process, we support National Olympic committees, including the Olympic Committee of Georgia," said President of IOC Thomas Bach.
At the end of the meeting, PM Kvirikashvili signed the IOC Guest Book.
Bach awarded Kvirikashvili with the Founder's Medal, which the committee, according to the tradition, grants to the heads of states and governments.
The IOC President guided Kvirikashvili at the Olympic Museum.
Bach was elected as President of the IOC at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires on September 10, 2013. He is the third President who was an Olympian and the first with an Olympic medal (gold in fencing in 1976).
