SOCHI — More than 6,000 unpaid builders involved in the construction of the Olympic facilities in Sochi have had their arrears cleared, the International Olympic Committee has said.
IOC officials conducted an investigation into the construction companies that were working in Sochi, and those that failed to pay their employees have been fined and ordered to pay compensation, it said.
"I think they investigated some 500 companies, all the companies that they could identify as having been involved in the construction, and 6,175 workers have been compensated so far," IOC communications director Mark Adams said Monday.
Adams added that Russian authorities have been very helpful, ensuring that all the migrant workers who helped the country prepare for its first Winter Olympics are paid.
"I would say the Russians have done quite a good job of actually making sure that people are being paid, and money is being transferred outside the country, as it should be," he said.
Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak promised that workers employed to help construct the Sochi 2014 infrastructure would get 2 million rubles ($60,000) in unpaid wages.
IOC president Thomas Bach said earlier that he believed all industrial issues had been resolved.
With a total spend of $51 billion, the Sochi Olympics are on course to be the most expensive in history by some measures, although that spending includes infrastructure not directly used for the Games. Russian officials say only $6.4 billion of directly competition-related costs should count.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
