"I was present at the ceremony," Mikhail Fradkov said opening a government session. "And I would like to confirm that the Russian delegation performed in a worthy manner. It was a tough contest, and I do not think the result meant a defeat for Russia."
Fradkov congratulated the winning candidate city, London.
However, the premier highlighted that Moscow's presentation had been very good.
He said many factors contributed to the success of the Olympic movement, including team spirit, which was Russia's strong point.
"We do have weak points and have to work to overcome them," he said. "We will have to draw conclusions. However, the success of the Olympic movement is determined by the popularity of sports and a healthy lifestyle in different countries, and to what extent the youth is interested in sports."
Fradkov attended the 117th International Olympic Committee session in Singapore on Wednesday, when London was awarded the 2012 Olympics. The premier returned to Moscow an hour and a half before the government convened for the session.
