(ATR) The Almaty bid for the 2022 Winter Games eliminates a public relations quagmire with the departure of Alexander Vinokourov as an athlete ambassador.
"Alexander Vinokourov resigned as bid ambassador. He was only part of the application phase," says a spokesman for the bid.
Earlier this week, bid vice chair Andrey Kryukov had said that the cyclist would remain a bid ambassador, despite serving a two-year ban for blood doping at the 2007 Tour de France. Vinokourov won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Speaking to reporters during the visit of the IOC Evaluation Commission to Almaty, Kryukov said Vinokourov had served his punishment and was no longer involved with doping.
"He has no connection to any doping scandals at this time," he responded to a question.
"How can you claim he is involved? Therefore we don’t see any impact of that alleged involvement in this bid," Kryukov said.
Despite the affirmation for one of Kazakhstan’s most famous athletes, at the end of the week Vinokourov was gone, apparently of his own volition. Also gone are photographs of the cyclist on the Almaty website, although his name still appears in text mentioning him asan ambassador. One section of the website for athlete ambassadors no longer includes any content.
Besides attracting uncomfortable questions from the media, the continued presence of Vinokourov as an Almaty ambassador may also have raised doubts among IOC members who will vote July 31 on a 2022 host. Beijing is the only other candidate.
Officials with Almaty 2022 were not available for additional comment on the situation.
Vinokourov did not appear this week to lobby for the bid during the IOC visit to Almaty.
Instead the bid is turning to winter Olympians to provide an athlete perspective. Sochi 2014 bronze medalist figure skater Dennis Tan is now the best-known of the athlete ambassadors for Almaty. Cross-country skier Vladimir Smirnov, now retired from competition, is a vice chair for the bid from Kazakhstan.
The IOC Evaluation Commission ended its five-day visit to Almaty on February 18. The commission travels to inspect Beijing at the end of March.
Written by Ed Hula
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