A deputy chief of the government staff, Sergei Gaplikov, was appointed as new head of the state Olimpstroi corporation after his predecessor, Taimuraz Bolloyev, resigned Monday, citing health reasons, Interfax reported.
Olimpstroi is building virtually all the venues for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. Bolloyev’s departure comes as organizers prepare to stage the first test events for the games, with lower-tier European Cup Alpine ski races scheduled from Feb. 15-18 and Feb. 22-26 in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains.
Bolloyev was appointed in 2009 by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He was the third head of the state corporation since its creation in 2008.
(AP, MT)
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