Gazprom Group's employees and their family members are taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay Sochi 2014.

The first Olympic torchbearer was Alexander Stepin, multiple participant of Children's Spartakiada Games of Gazprom. His run took place in Tula on October 14.

On October 27 Valery Golubev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee carried the Olympic Torch in Saint Petersburg.

On October 28 taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay in Saint Petersburg were Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Vladimir Makarenko, Deputy Director General of Gazprom Sotsinvest.

On November 6 the Olympic Torch was carried in Khanty-Mansiysk by Valery Smirnov, coordinator and coach of the Gazprom Transgaz Yugorsk cultural and sports center.

On December 1 the Olympic Torch was carried in Tomsk by Anatoly Titov, Director General of Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk and Alexander Mengunov, employee of Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk, Director of the Harmony sport center and Head of the Olympic Council of the Tomsk Region.

On December 3 the Olympic Torch was carried in Barnaul by Denis Fyodorov, Director General of Gazprom Energoholding.

On December 14 the Olympic Torch was carried in Yekaterinburg by David Gaidt, Director General of Gazprom Transgaz Yekaterinburg and Yelizaveta Fominykh, operator at a CNG filling station of Gazprom Transgaz Yekaterinburg, Master of Sports in winter polyathlon.

On December 22 the Olympic Torch was carried in Orenburg by Sergey Andrianov, player of the Fakel Gazproma table tennis club, Maxim Osipov, welder at the Mechanical and Repair Service of the Gazprom Dobycha Orenburg Gas Production Directorate, Best Welder of Russia and Evgeny Regentov, experienced player in the Fakel Gazproma table tennis club, Master of Sports, awardee of numerous competitions of different levels, Multiple Champion of Russia as part of the Fakel Gazproma team.

On December 24 the Olympic Torch was carried in Syzran by Vladimir Tortyshev, Head of the Health and Fitness Division at the Medical Clinic of Gazprom, Member of Gazprom's Spartakiada Games Organizing Committee.

On January 5, 2014 the Olympic Torch was carried in Kirov by Alexander Rasskazov, participant of Children's Spartakiada Games of Gazprom.

On January 7 the Olympic Torch was carried in Nizhny Novgorod by Irina Prokofieva, sports coach at Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod.

Gazprom's team will continue to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay.

On January 19 the Olympic Torch will be carried in Uryupinsk by Artem Panarin, electrician at Gazprom Transgaz Moscow, multiple champion and winner of the local, regional and international championships in classic and beach volleyball.

On February 2 in Cherkessk – Evgeny Chentsov, sports coach at Gazprom Transgaz Stavropol.

“Taking part in the national Olympic Torch Relay is a great honor for every citizen of our country.

Gazprom is an active participant of the preparations for the 22nd Winter Olympic Games and we are proud that our employees and their children carry the Olympic Torch in all the different parts of enormous Russia,” said Alexey Miller.

Background

The Olympic Torch Relay Sochi 2014 is the longest national relay in the history of the Olympic Games, covering 65 thousand kilometers. The Relay which started on October 7 will last for 123 days and go through 2,900 localities in all 83 regions of Russia. The Olympic Torch will be carried by 14 thousand torchbearers. On February 7, 2014 the Olympic Flame will be lit at the Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in Sochi.

According to the Program for the construction of Olympic venues and the development of Sochi as a mountain resort, approved by the Russian Government, Gazprom is responsible for constructing the following Olympic facilities:

• Biathlon and Ski Complex with two access roads and a Mountain Olympic Village for 1,100 persons;
• MountainTourist Center;
• Dzhubga – Lazarevskoye – Sochi gas pipeline;
• Adler Thermal Power Plant.

At present, Gazprom has almost completed the large-scale construction of the Olympic venues. In particular, construction work is over at the Dzhubga – Lazarevskoye – Sochi gas pipeline and the Adler Thermal Power Plant (TPP) that have a great significance for power supply to the Olympic Games and the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory. The Biathlon and Ski Complex, which has already hosted Russian and international competitions, has been completed. Other Olympic venues are about ready for operation.

In addition, Gazprom was identified as the company responsible for the gasification of Sochi's Adler district.