The annual contest was launched with the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, and the Sochi 2014 Olympic Education system seeks to spread the Olympic and Paralympic Games ideals.

Through the initiative, teachers are able to contribute to developing Russian Olympic education through programmes, seminars and educational modules on Olympic and Paralympic themes.

There are four categories for the 2012 contest, the first being for "the most successful Olympic knowledge ambassador".

This award will recognise teachers for their use of educational resources developed by Sochi 2014.

The second award is for the most informative Olympic media project, the third is for the most informative project organising a major sports event and the final category is for the "best participating school in the one school, one country programme", which seeks to encourage learning about the cultures and skills of other countries.

This year will be the third time that the contest is being held, but on the largest scale to date, with organisations, sports clubs and public societies supporting Olympic and Paralympic ideas and principles with teachers.

Education is fundamental to the Olympic Movement, which was after all founded by an educator – Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin.

Last year Sochi 2014 launched a programme of voluntary certification for those spreading Olympic knowledge, and the Russian International Olympic University has also been set up to help keep and develop the legacy of Sochi 2014, and to prepare Russian leaders for the world of sport and the Olympic Movement.

Applications to be a part of the competition will be accepted up to September 20, with Sochi 2014 considering those putting themselves forward based on the creativity and scale of the events they put together.

The final awards will take place in Moscow and Sochi this November.

More than 5,500 teachers from across Russia, and even from as far as Canada, have been involved in the Sochi 2014 teacher programme to date.

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