"Russia is to be one of the strongest three teams or even take the first place. We are going to win 30 gold medals but it is yet unknown what place they can guarantee among the three", Mr. Tyagachev said.
According to him, the Russian national is ready for the Olympics. "In the last three years, we've done a lot to create the conditions required for Russian athletes", the Olympic Committee's president said.
"Over this time, about 20 sports facilities have been built, the anti-doping commission set up and legal board set to work. Now we can uphold the rights of our sportsmen", he said.
Leonid Tyagachev called on the media to give objective coverage of the Olympic Games and, particularly, Russia's performance. "Some commentators just do not know the rules of competitions and lack professionalism. This should be avoided", Mr. Tyagachev noted. "We should unite our efforts and ensure objective and qualified information coverage of our athletes at the Games".
Mr. Tyagachev stressed that their performance may be below expectations in the beginning of the Olympic Games. "Almost all the competitions in our key categories will be held from August 25 to 29, when we plan to win over 15 medals", the committee's president said. "The Olympic program should be studied before making conclusions", he noted.
