Westminster City Council rejected the £10 million ($15.5 million/€11.6 million) plans at the end of last year, which would have involved the temporary ice rink being erected in the heart of the capital accommodating up to 8,000 people a day, following objections from several groups, including the Metropolitan Police.

Transport for London (TfL) also expressed fears about the scheme, claiming it could create major traffic problems, but Chernyshenko said that Sochi 2014 are now looking to erect the ice rink in another prominent London location while still maintaining a presence at Marble Arch in a smaller capacity.

"We had everything ready for the ice rink at Marble Arch but when it came to the time when all the details were on the table, the Metropolitan Police and the local Council realised that the ice rink would create a huge amount of activity in a small area so they decided against it," Chernyshenko told insidethegames here at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.

"We respect this decision completely because the last thing we want to do is to create problems for anybody.

"My goal is simply to give lots of interested people the opportunity to learn more about Sochi and more about Russia ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympics.

"So Sochi 2014 will definitely be in London and we will be presented at Marble Arch in some way because it is a very famous landmark in the city that is important to us.

"We are also talking with the London Council's about a solution to have the traditional ice rink in a nearby territory to Marble Arch."

Chernyshenko predicts that an ice rink will become an iconic Sochi 2014 landmark during London 2012 and help promote winter sport during the Summer Olympic Games, an occurrence which rarely happens.

"The ice rink is like our visitor calling card and we have already committed to the public in London that we will provide free master classes with our best figure skaters," he said.

"During the Summer Games, it will be a very good way to promote Sochi as a product and to attract attention when there is not usually focus on winter sports."

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