Putin presses Russia's Winter Olympics bid

SOCHI, Russia, Feb 20 (Reuters) President Vladimir Putin skied down a mountain in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi today to press its case to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, as inspectors toured the city to assess the bid.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials were inspecting Sochi, short-listed for the Games along with Salzburg in Austria and Pyeongchang in South Korea, before the IOC's July deadline to announce the winner.

Putin told reporters at a newly built ski run that he thought Sochi, with its combination of snow-capped mountains and a mild sub-tropical climate, was perfect for the Games.

''Time will show who wins. We have very worthy competitors, our friends in Korea and Austria ... I am sure that people there will try hard to win the Olympics,'' he said.

''They are also worthy places to hold the Olympics -- but we are better!'' The Kremlin wants the Games in part to showcase Russia's revival as an economic and political powerhouse under Putin who often holidays at a villa in Sochi.

But Russia has not staged an Olympics since the Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games, and its bid is widely seen as having only an outside chance of success. Russia failed in a bid for Moscow to host the 2012 Summer Games.

Some green groups have criticised Sochi's bid, saying it would involve tearing down woodland that is home to rare wildlife including brown bears and red deer.

Putin said the government was working closely with environmental groups to make sure no harm was done to nature.

''We have established pretty good contacts with environmental organisations, including international ones,'' he said.

''I think we would have committed a very serious mistake if we had not taken into account the views of environmental organisations.'' Reuters SAM RN2112