Sochi Airport

Representatives of the London 2012 Organizing Committee will choose the top Russian volunteers to be part of the London 2012 Games. The selection will take place during the first Volunteer Movement Rally opened today in the city of Sochi. The Rally consists of 250 volunteers from 14 regions of Russia and 26 Sochi 2014 Volunteer Centers. The results of the selection will be announced in November 2011. In total 104 people will form the Russian Volunteer Team for London 2012: 80 of them will work at the Olympic games, and 24 at the Paralympic game.

The Rally’s main objective is to develop a sense of involvement in the Games among the volunteers and to cultivate leadership skills among the volunteer movement participants. The best among them – “the golden hundred” - will be sent to the 2012 Games in London to try their strength and gain experience from other countries’ volunteers. After they return from London, the volunteers will share their knowledge with their colleagues from the volunteer centers around Russia.

The Volunteer Program is considered as one of the most ambitious projects for the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee. Roughly, 25 000 volunteers will be involved during the Games in Sochi in more than 20 areas of activity. Altogether, the volunteers make up about 30% of the total workforce of the Games.

Volunteer recruitment is handled through 26 volunteer centers, established at schools’ facilities across Russia, the schools being selected on a competitive basis.

The mass recruitment of volunteers for the Games will begin on 7 February 2012. The details on volunteer selection criteria, as well as application forms, will be on the Organizing Committee's official website in November 2011.