Putin sacks top official over Sochi delays

SOCHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday sacked a senior Russian Olympic Committee official over delays to the completion of the ski jumping complex for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.

Russian Olympics Committee deputy chief Akhmed Bilalov was fired after Putin the day earlier personally asked who was responsible for the delay in the completion of the complex from 2011 to July this year.

"The decision about the sacking has been taken," Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak told reporters.