Russian resort to host Winter Olympics
The Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi has won the contest to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Sochi defeated the South Korean city of Pyeongchang in the final round of a vote by the International Olympic Committee in Guatemala.
It will mark the first time the Winter Games has been held in Russia.
The Austrian resort of Salzburg was eliminated in the first round of the secret ballot, setting up the decisive head-to-head contest between Sochi and Pyeongchang.
The vote totals were not immediately released.
The result was a triumph for Russian president Vladimir Putin, who put his international prestige on the line by going to Guatemala to lobby IOC members and lead Sochi’s final formal presentation to the assembly in Guatemala City.
Putin had left by the time the result was announced.
Ninety-seven IOC members were eligible to vote in the first round.
Members from bidding countries are ineligible to vote as long as their cities remain in contention.
With Salzburg out, 100 delegates were eligible in the second round.
