By Zjan Shirinian

IOC President Thomas Bach has arrived in Sochi ahead of the Winter Olympics ©Getty Images January 31 - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has predicted Sochi 2014 will be a "great Games for athletes", after arriving in the host city today.

He was greeted by Sochi 2014 Organising Committee President and chief executive Dmitry Chernyshenko and head of the Russian Olympic Committee and IOC member Alexander Zhukov.

A dozen volunteers from across Russia and overseas also greeted President Bach as he arrived in Sochi.

"They [athletes] will have state of the art sports facilities," he said.

"Most of them will be able to walk from their beds to the competition venues.

"They are very excited about it.

"I had the opportunity to speak to some of them during the flight and they are all looking forward to the beginning of the Games."

IOC President Thomas Bach officially receives his Olympic accreditation for Sochi 2014 after landing in Russia ©Getty ImageIOC President Thomas Bach officially receives his Olympic accreditation for Sochi 2014 after landing in Russia ©Getty Image

Bach will chair a number of meetings in the next week, with the the IOC Executive Board on (Sunday) February 2 and the 126th IOC Session from February 4 until 6.

Earlier this week, he said he was "sleeping very well" when asked by reporters during a teleconference about some of the controversy, and fears over security, overshadowing the build-up to the Games.

"Fear is a very bad advisor and not a category in which I think," he added.

"I am really looking forward to first Winter Games under my Presidency.

"I'm very confident they will be very successful."

The Opening Ceremony of the Games will begin in one weeks' time, on February 7.

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