The Sochi 2014 Volunteer Team is comprised of 23,000 Russians, drawn from 26 volunteer centres based at educational institutions across the country, with another 2,000 coming from outside the country.

The United States will provide the largest contingent of foreign volunteers with 10 per cent, followed by nine per cent from neighbouring Ukraine, with Canada, the United Kingdom and Kazakhstan providing eight per cent.

The average age of the volunteers is 25 with 60 per cent male and 40 per cent female.

Around 928 of the volunteers are classed as being in the "silver-age group", say organisers, with an average age of 62, with 16 per cent of these being from foreign countries.

Sochi provides 24 per cent of the volunteers, mostly drawn from the Krosnador region that surrounds the city, while large numbers of volunteers have also been drawn from Moscow, St Petersburg and the Rostov region.

Officials revealed around 60 per cent of the volunteers will be located at the Coastal Cluster which is based in Sochi while 40 per cent will be based at the Mountain Cluster venues 50 kilometres away.

The campaign to recruit volunteers was launched in February 2012, exactly two years out from the Games and the deadline for applications was in March this year with organisers claiming that over 160,000 applications were received.

Volunteers for Sochi 2014 have been recruited from 26 centres based at educational institutions across Russia ©Sochi 2014




























Most of the volunteers are due to begin arriving in Sochi from January 21 and they will make-up approximately 30 per cent of the entire staff who will be working during both the Games.

Organisers predict over 7,000 will be involved in events servicing, 2,400 in servicing of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, more than 1,000 will be responsible for looking after the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and National Paralympic Committee (NPC) delegations, while another 1,100 will cater for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

The rest of the volunteer team will be responsible for accreditation, arrivals and departures and language services.

"I would like to thank all the volunteers for their hard work, said Turin 2006 ice dancing gold medallist Tatiana Navka, a Sochi 2014 ambassador.

"Volunteers should be diligent, committed, and knowledgeable of the area, but most importantly, willing to make every guest, spectator, and athlete feel welcome.

"Of course, volunteers not only help run the Games, but also cheer up the athletes and spectators with their energetic attitude.

"I have repeatedly pointed out that volunteers of all ages are vital to [a] successful Games.

"I hope that in Sochi they will all work together as a friendly and professional team."

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