The Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) today received high-level praise from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, who was given a tour around the university's state-of-the-art facilities by its Rector, Professor Lev Belousov.

Bach was particularly complimentary of the university's flagship product, the Master of Sport Administration (MSA) course, and gave a short speech to the first intake of MSA students before answering their questions about his plans for the IOC Presidency and the future of the Olympic Movement.

IOC President Bach, after addressing RIOU's 27 MSA students from 14 different countries, commented:

"The Russian International Olympic University is a great legacy project of Sochi 2014, so I am delighted that on my first visit to Sochi as President of the IOC, I was able to meet with its dedicated teaching staff and speak with its talented students who will shape the future of the Olympic Movement.

"The IOC fully supports RIOU in its endeavour to train the next generation of sports managers through its MSA course and I have no doubt that sports organisations from around the world will send students to Sochi in order to benefit from this excellent university."

RIOU's Rector, Professor Lev Belousov, said:

"I am delighted to welcome IOC President Bach to our Sochi campus to show him around our first-class facilities. Since RIOU formed in 2009, the IOC has offered us every support and I am pleased that we are now repaying this faith through our MSA course which draws on Olympic knowledge and industry expertise to provide a sporting education of the highest standard."I am confident that, starting with our inaugural intake, RIOU will produce highly qualified and technically skilled managers for the Olympic Movement and the world's sports industry".

Dmitry Chernyshenko, CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee, added:

"Just over a month ago, RIOU formally became the curator of the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games Archive. This archive will store all the data built up by the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee since 2005, and through RIOU, it will be transferred to future generations of students, scientists and sports managers from Russia and around the world.

"This was a key element of our vision for RIOU and I was there with President Rogge when he laid the first foundation stone in 2010. It gives me great pride to know that the new IOC President has today visited the completed campus that will be supporting the Olympic Movement long after the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have moved on to the next hosts."