Sports organisations are looking to secure places on the course, which runs from November 14 until 25, and delegates will be able to learn from experts in the Olympic field and use their newfound knowledge in their organisations when they return home.

Sochi 2014's Igor Stolyarov, executive vice-president of marketing and brand management, Alexandra Kosterina, vice-president of communications, and Anna Kharnas, the head of communications, will join Fasel as the organisation's representatives on the course.

"It is rare that I get a chance to work alongside top practitioners like those assembled for the RIOU Brand Building and Communications Programme, and so I am delighted to be involved," said Fasel.

"In the current economic climate any sports organisation that wants to be taken seriously by its target audiences, needs to learn to communicate effectively and efficiently.

"RIOU's programme will show delegates how to do this."

The quartet will join communications and brand building expert Jon Tibbs' already announced team, which consists of the likes of BBC broadcaster David Eades and American sports journalist Alan Abrahamson, also a member of the IOC Press Commission.

The first week of the course focuses on why sports organisations should behave as brands and professionalise communications, before moving onto practical methods for communications strategies, social media and other techniques.

RIOU chief executive Professor Lev Belousov said: "This course is designed for sports organisations in the 21st Century to be more cost effective and successful by learning how to develop and execute a communications strategy.

"Over 10 days, knowledge which has taken our lecturers years to acquire will be passed on to delegates through highly interactive classroom sessions."

The RIOU is backed by the Russian Olympic Committee as well as Sochi 2014, and was established in 2009.

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