Russia's Sochi mooted as host for 2024 Olympics

MOSCOW (AP) The man who organized last year's Winter Olympics in Sochi is pushing for the Russian city to host the 2024 Summer Games.

Dmitry Chernyshenko wants Sochi to follow the example of Beijing, which will be the first city to host a summer and winter games after it won the right to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics on Friday.

Chernyshenko, an influential figure who heads a Russian state media company, tells Russia's R-Sport agency that Sochi ''has huge potential to bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.''

Sochi would need to build many facilities to hold the games, although some indoor arenas from the Winter Olympics could conceivably be repurposed.

Last week, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee mooted Kazan, hosting the ongoing world aquatics championships, as a future host of the Summer Olympics.

Applications for the 2024 Games close on Sept. 15, and the host will be selected two years later.