Ahead of Sochi, Russia Olympics, Britain, Russia sign MoU

Ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games both the British and Russian National Olympic Committees have a great responsibility to the Olympic Movement upon their shoulders.

In October, I led the British Olympic Association (BOA) to Moscow to sign a strategic partnership agreement with our counterparts at the Russian Olympic Committee. The signing ceremony took place at the White House where I was joined by ROC President Alexander Zhukov, the ROC vice president, and Andy Hunt Team GB Chef de Mission for London 2012.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) displays our commitment to share best practices and support each other on the development of our relationships - both at the National Olympic Committee level and between our sport National Governing Bodies. It is designed to mutually benefit sports and aspiring Olympic athletes from both countries and the two organizations will cooperate in the development of excellence in sport performance and Olympic preparation.

Through the MoU the National Olympic Committees will share information and best practice in a range of areas including:

- The national sporting landscape in their respective territories and information about facilities, training conditions, venues and other key information about sport performance;

- Preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games and 2014 Olympic Winter Games;

- Assisting each other through the establishment of strategic partnerships and operational assistance between the countries sport National Governing Bodies;

- Supporting the development of the Olympic Movement, the preservation of the peace-promoting mission, and the moral and ethical values of sports. Communicating and co-operating in the consistent application of the principles of fair play at all levels of sports activities and condemning any kind of discrimination.

During our visit to Moscow, the BOA delegation met with representatives of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Organizing Committee to gain an update on their preparations. We observed that both the planning and preparations for the Sochi, Russia Olympics are in excellent shape.

As a leading winter sport nation, this agreement represents an excellent opportunity for some of our winter National Governing Bodies to develop a strategic partnership with their Russian counterparts. For example, our meeting with the Russian Ski Federation was an opportunity to discuss collaboration between the two national governing bodies in the lead up to the Sochi, Russia Olympics in 2014.

While the majority of the U.K. is understandably focused on the countdown to London 2012, the agreement with the ROC demonstrates that we are simultaneously ensuring that our winter sports will continue to receive our full support and dedication on the exciting journey to Sochi 2014.

Colin Moynihan is chairman of the British Olympic Association and a former Olympic coxswain. He served as a political adviser and then parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Department of the Environment (1987-1990) before going into business.