The three-strong delegation from the nation that hosted this year's Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi was briefed on Games preparations and visited the construction sites of competition venues in the Pyeongchang Mountain Cluster and the Gangneung Coastal Cluster during their four-day stay.

They said they were "highly satisfied" with the compact venue concept and the use of existing facilities in the area.

"I am very impressed by the fact that from the Alpensia zone, all the competition venues and Olympic Villages can be reached within 30 minutes," Georgy Mnatsakanov, head of department at the ROC, said.

The Russian Olympic Committee was particularly satisfied with the compact venue concept ©Pyeongchang 2018


Russia is one of seven National Olympic Committees to have travelled to Pyeongchang during the second half of this year.

Each of the NOCs have spent up to five days inspecting projects for the Olympics and Paralympics, including competition venues, the Athletes' Villages and the transport facilities, to learn how to support the athletes who will be competing at the 2018 Winter Games.

"We are actively informing the NOCs about our plans to best support their athletes and at the same time we are gathering advice from each team in order to make the 2018 Olympic Winter Games the most athlete-oriented and Games-oriented," Pyeongchang 2018 director general of communications and PR Shin Muchol said.

Four more NOCs, including Sweden and Norway, have already confirmed visits to Pyeongchang by next February.

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