The worst bit, for most organisers of large sporting events, is the bit beforehand. (Although the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, in their different areas, went some way to disproving this truism).

And the very worst bit is that phoney war, dead calm period before real sporting activity gets underway, when the world's press is gathered in one hyperactive mass on one's doorstep and, for want of gold medal stories, gets to work on worrying and warning.

Next up for worrying and warning is the Sochi 2014 Winter Games. The event has already had a severe shaking - firstly in physical terms with a series of earthquakes and tremors in the region, and more recently in figurative terms with the calls for a boycott over the new law instituted in Russia forbidding the open espousal of gay rights.

Other concerning rumours are currently circulating – that the narrow roads around the venues will still be too busy to be viable, and that measures being considered include blocking access to certain numbers of local drivers, or even preventing them from driving for the period of the Games.

Less importantly I have heard recently that concerns over the volume of accommodation required by the press has led to a fall-back plan of housing "overspill" journalists in boats moored in Sochi harbour. (I remember staying on a press boat moored on a waterway in Ghent during the 2000 European Indoor Championships. I must say I liked it. But it may not suit those expecting a hotel room.)

Fingers crossed, and touching wood, the Sochi 2014 Winter Games will be a success and will run smoothly. To start from nothing and reach the point to which the Russian authorities have aspired is one hell of a task, and if it can be accomplished it will be a major feather in the home country's cap.

What is not in doubt, to judge by a progress report I have just received, is the likely quality of the volunteers who will endeavour make the Sochi 2014 Games work.

Anna, who has kindly sent me an update on her work at a succession of Test events in Sochi this year, was one of a number of prospective 2014 Olympics volunteers who were sent over to Britain last year to learn whatever they could from being Games Makers at the London 2012 Olympics.

Games Makers at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics do the 'Mobot'

"To tell the truth, I learnt a lot during the Games in London," she writes. "Of course, being a volunteer at different sport events is great but working at the Olympic Games makes you plunge into the atmosphere of the Olympic London, feel its Spirit.

"The minute we landed in Heathrow airport we really believed that we are in the Olympic capital: friendly volunteers welcomed us at the airport and helped us get through all the control zones.

"I'm very thankful to Sochi 2014 for giving us the fantastic opportunity to look "behind the curtains". Feeling myself a part of the great world-famous event was really remarkable.

"I was a Protocol and Linguistic Services Team Member working at the Olympic Stadium. You cannot even imagine how excited I was to know that the Opening Ceremony of London 2012 would be on the 27th of July, my birthday!!! I had a shift this day at a VIP lounge. Helping the guests I also had a chance to enjoy the fantastic show! It was the best birthday ever!

"I am absolutely sure that the experience we got in London will help us to provide the best services to Sochi 2012 guests. Coming back from London we shared our knowledge with other Sochi volunteers during the course of trainings prepared by the Sochi Organizing Committee (sic).

"I think that in Sochi the job will be a little bit easier because the majority of volunteers already had the chance to visit the city, see the venues and take part in test events. Before we went to London we saw all the venues and the city only at the multimedia presentations, internet and had the idea about the Games according to the words of experts from Sochi and London."

Prime Minister David Cameron meets Games Makers at the ExCel Centre

Since returning from London, Anna has worked at several Test events in Sochi including the FIS Skiing World Cup, on the newly fashioned Rosa Khutor slopes, and the FIS Cross-country World Cup.

"During these test events I was working at the event services team that gave me a great chance to learn the venues and work with other volunteers," she reports. "I was a team leader having up to 170 volunteers under me. This is a great responsibility but I have learnt how to work in team thanks to London Games and different trainings and seminars given by Sochi Organizing Committee.

"Besides, the venue managers and Sochi 2014 staff were always ready to help us. One more good thing is that at every venue we had Volunteer rooms where we could find some snacks, hot tea and different soft drinks.

"It was really great to see the victories of world-famous sport stars, and of course we were so glad to hear kind words from the athletes, coaches, spectators concerning our work at the test events.

"I also took part in the NOC Chefs de Mission seminar and NPC Chefs de Mission seminar. It was also a great experience for me as during the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games I will be working in the Olympic and Paralympic Services team.

"It was so encouraging to hear 'Good morning!', 'Great work, guys!' and other friendly words from Jacques Rogge, Sir Philip Craven, Dmitriy Chernyshenko and other honorable guests of these events."

Asked about how much of a concern there has been over the lack of snow for, for instance, the freestyle skiing test event, Anna's reply is suitably affirmative: "I saw lots of snow in Sochi and have no doubts that the organisers and volunteers will do their best to make Sochi 2014 Olympic Games the best ever."

Woven into the commercialism and political show of every big international sporting championship there is this rich and precious thread of idealism, an idealism which those such as Anna demonstrate with their actions and words.

At last year's London Olympics, my friend Russell was a Games Maker charged with overseeing the cycling course for the road racing and time trial events. insidethegames carried his journal of emotions, before, during and after the Games - emotions which began with a characteristic degree of scepticism (Russell didn't like the happy-clappy attempts to engender team building at the selection interview in the ExCel Centre) and which transformed in the course of that heady summer of sport into...well...let Russell describe it for himself:

My friend Russell on Games Maker duty at the London 2012 cycling road race course

"I have found myself being overcome with emotion during the whole thing. It was almost as if I needed to re-boot my sense of being British. Although not linked to the volunteering, this feeling has been very surprising.

"I sat through the technical rehearsal for the opening ceremony with hairs on the back of my neck standing on end, and my eyes pricking with the wonderful- ness of it all. It was as if Danny Boyle and his team were saying 'Forget all the doom-mongers, the people who doubt Britain, who moan at our young people, the people who want to pound us against the wall for our colonial past.

"Because that does not matter anymore. We can write our own futures, we can believe in something wonderful.

"And the thanks that were said to all us volunteers can make me cry. It wets my eyes as I write this. It might be daft but it is there. It may be a function of other things going on in my life, but 2012 is part of this. And I even appreciate Dave's letter - even if I find it hard not to believe he would love volunteering to help him cut public spending!!

"So my pride was actually less to do with British success on the field of play - I was more proud of Bradley winning the Tour de France for example. It was more to do with delivering the Olympics to the world, with effort, planning, forethought and a British, cheerful, relaxed, non-officious way of doing things.

"Let volunteering be an intensely personal thing, not for use or appropriation by others, under a banner or a slogan. Because this Olympics was about the sport, the young (mostly) people pushing themselves to the limit.

"We could all walk towards this goal untainted by the more long-term practical problems of real life. To be reminded of the essential good nature of almost all human beings is a supremely good thing."

Mike Rowbottom, one of Britain's most talented sportswriters, covered the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics as chief feature writer for insidethegames, having covered the previous five summer Games, and four winter Games, for The Independent. He has worked for the Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, The Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian. To follow him on Twitter click here.