Almaty 2022 optimal athlete experience and deep natural snow confirmed by IOC Evaluation Report

The IOC 2022 Evaluation Commission, led by IOC member Alexander Zhukov and the IOC´s Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi, released its report on the Almaty 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid today. The Almaty Bid Committee is very encouraged and pleased by the report’s contents.

The report’s content is derived from the successful, productive and very cordial visit of the Evaluation Commission to Almaty in February 2015. The report gives a clear sign that Almaty’s second bid for the Olympic Winter Games benefits greatly from its experience hosting multiple major winter sports events like the successful Asian Winter Games in 2011, Universiade 2017 or just recently the U23 FIS Nordic World Championships in 2015. Almaty’s success hosting events proves that it is well prepared to host the Olympic Winter Games to the highest standards in 2022.

Mr Andrey Kryukov, Vice Chairman of Almaty 2022 said: «First of all we would like to thank the International Olympic Committee, the Evaluation Commission and IOC Member Alexander Zhukov and Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi again for the very productive visit to Almaty in February and the report they made based on this visit. The report clearly states that Almaty´s vision is fully embedded in the Olympic Agenda 2020 and the city’s long-term sports development plan - a plan which started in 2011 with the hosting of the Asian Winter Games - is working. Almaty has already invested more than a billion US dollars in the development of winter sports venues and will have 80% of all the venues necessary for hosting the Winter Games finished by 2017»

Mr Denis Ten, Kazakhstan´s figure skating superstar and Bid Ambassador, who was in the Bid office when the report was released commented: «This report is a reflection of my career as an athlete. The development of winter sport over the last 15 years is impressive; and it´s not just building venues.. The venues were built due to the demand for winter sports facilities in the region. They are all used year in, year out. Kazakhstan is doing a great job in motivating young people to play sports and therefore spreading Olympism throughout the country. Our team here is working very hard, and thanks to the flexibility now with Olympic Agenda 2020 it´s still work in progress. We will present Almaty in Lausanne and Kuala Lumpur as what it is: a magnificent, modern and young sports city in the heart of Eurasia. I am proud of my home city».

Almaty Mayor Mr Akhmetzhan Yessimov: «We are grateful for this report. Of course there is still work to be done. But the city is growing every year, and with most venues already in place at latest in 2017, we can focus on these issues. No new major infrastructure project is needed. And we will already have an experienced team on the ground for the OCOG due to the Universiade, which is unique. Now we are looking forward to the two crucial presentations in Lausanne and Kuala Lumpur. Almaty will more than ready to welcome the Olympic Movement in 2022»

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For detailed information, please contact to:

Ms Zhuldyz Baimagambet

Almaty 2022 Candidate city

Media Relations

@: z.baimagambet@almaty-2022.org

Tel.: +7 (727) 3132347

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