MOSCOW (AP) — Vladimir Putin has chosen the head of the International Olympics Committee for his first official meeting on the day he was sworn in as president.
Less than an hour after the inauguration ceremony, he went to his Kremlin office to meet with Jacques Rogge, an indication of the importance Putin places on Russia’s preparations to host the Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in 2014.
Putin was a key figure behind Russia’s successful bid to host the Winter Games and during the past four years as prime minister he continued to oversee the preparations.
Putin’s office said he assured Rogge during their meeting Monday that the Sochi Olympics remained among his top priorities.
