Snow Hunter-Russia, July 8, 2008-Russia's former president Vladimir Putin, a keen skier and personally instrumental in winning the 2014 Olympics for the Black Sea resort of Sochi, is reported to have bowed to growing pressure from environmental campaigners regarding the location of some of the venues for the Games. The ski area borders a national park that's home to 6,000 types of flora and fauna, including 100 endangered species and billed as one of the world's last untouched eco-systems. The area is next to a a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to such endangered species as the West Caucasian chamois mountain goat.

The changes to plans for the venues for the Games including moving the proposed site of the bobsleigh run and some ski runs away from the protected areas. A report by Russian news agency ITAR-Tass, quoted Olympics construction boss Viktor Kolodyazhny as saying that following the changes they would try to complete work on time. Putin is reported to have replied "'We will try'-that's not an answer."

Construction had not begun on the venues, despite years of announcements of massive funding being available. Prime Minister Putin had recently announced the availability of $12bn in private and public money for development.

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