The meeting, which was also attended by Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Alexander Zhukov and Russia's Deputy Minister of Sport Pavel Kolobkov, was to discuss how the two countries could cooperate on pooling their experiences of hosting the Olympics and Paralympics.

Hague presented Kozak, who has special responsibility for Sochi 2014, with a Team GB shirt and received in return a Sochi 2014 tee-shirt. 

"Russia and the United Kingdom are two of the leading sports powers in the world, and we have an interest in sharing our experience," said Hague, a close friend of London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe. 

"The cooperation between our two countries is characterised by its constructive spirit."

More than 100 volunteers of the Sochi Olympics are due to work at London during the Games.

"There is a close and friendly level of cooperation between the organisers of the Olympic Games in London and Sochi," said Kozak. 

"This serves as an example for cooperation in all other areas."


Hague (pictured above) presented the volunteers with a special the symbolic volunteers' heart to mark their achievement in being chosen to work at London 2012. 

Sochi 2014 are looking to recruit 25,000 volunteers for the Winter Olympic and Paralympics, with tens of thousands already putting their names forward to help out during the Games.

Thirty five per cent of the Sochi 2014 workforce will be volunteers, underlining their importance to the Games.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
February 2012: Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics attracts volunteers from overseas
February 2012: Sochi 2014 receive 34,000 volunteer applications following launch of recruitment drive
February 2012: Sochi 2014 launches recruitment scheme to find 25,000 Games time volunteers
February 2012: Sochi 2014 launch VolunTour campaign in volunteer recruitment drive
December 2011: Sochi 2014 sign deal with Detech to help meet staffing needs