IOC's Killy to head Sochi 2014 Games inspection

ATHENS, Sep 13 (Reuters) Triple Olympic skiing champion Jean-Claude Killy will head the International Olympic Committee's coordination commission to monitor progress for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, the IOC said.

IOC member Killy, who won praise for leading the inspection team for the Turin 2006 Olympics, was also a co-chairman of the Albertville Olympics in 1992.

The French athlete is best known for his sweep of all Alpine skiing gold medals -- three in total -- at the 1968 Grenoble Games.

''His relevant and recent experience as an outstanding Chairman of the Turin 2006 Coordination Commission will be a great asset for the IOC and for Sochi,'' IOC President Jacques Rogge said in a statement late yesterday.

Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi earlier this year won the right to host the 2014 Games, beating South Korea's Pyeongchang and Austria's Salzburg.

''I will use key learnings from Turin 2006, and intend to set high standards to ensure Sochi delivers fantastic Games and a tremendous sporting legacy for its city, the Krasnodar region and Russia,'' Killy said.

The first coordination commission meeting will be held next year.

Reuters BJR GC1444