'Miracle on Ice' Olympic Icon Jim Craig Teams Up With RIA Novosti on Sochi Coverage

MOSCOW, Oct. 08, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympic hockey legend Jim Craig, star goalie for the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" gold medal-winning US hockey team whose longshot defeat of the Soviet "Big Red Machine" remains one of the most spectacular upsets in Olympic history, is teaming up with RIA Novosti to help deliver comprehensive and insightful coverage of the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

In 1999, Sports Illustrated named the "Miracle on Ice" the top sports moment of the 20th century.

Starting this month and continuing throughout the Sochi Games, Craig will produce an exclusive, insider's multimedia blog for RIA Novosti, bringing an Olympic champion's perspective to everything from preparation for the Games and views on current Olympics news to competition forecasts, "who to watch" commentary and reflections on his own historic Olympic experience.

"The Olympics bring together the best of the best athletes from all over the world," Craig said. "The Games are packed with emotion, high levels of sportsmanship, and extraordinary human effort and determination. I am thrilled to be part of RIA Novosti's coverage of the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and very much look forward to an incredible display of sports competition and Olympic spirit."

The partnership with Craig enhances RIA Novosti's coverage with a unique perspective, both in terms of professional access and historical scope, said Nabi Abdullaev, head of the agency's Foreign Language News Service.

"A legendary American athlete is stepping in as a living bridge between the winter-sports glory of the Soviet era and Russia's present Olympic ambitions, and will be able to comment on next year's Games both as a professional and an insider with a historical perspective," he said.

Craig's inaugural Sochi Olympics blog will be published this week and on a weekly basis throughout the autumn and early next year prior to the start of the Games. Following the Sochi Olympics Opening Ceremony on February 7, Craig's blog will appear three times weekly for the duration of the competition.

RIA Novosti, the official media host for the Sochi Games, is Russia's leading multimedia news and information source and one of the largest media groups in Europe. With a network in 49 countries and more than 40 online resources operating in 22 languages, RIA Novosti attracts around 30 million unique visitors every month. The company also maintains more than 50 real-time news wire feeds, an extensive international network of photographers and has pioneered mobile news and information applications and technologies in Russia and throughout the former Soviet Union.

Craig, 56, an All-American hockey goalie who led his Boston University to the NCAA championship in 1977, is the president of Gold Medal Strategies, a motivational speaking company that also manages Craig's public appearances. He is the author of the book "Gold Medal Strategies, Business Lessons from America's Miracle Team" published in 2011.

MEDIA/PRESS INQUIRIES:
(International) Nabi Abdullaev +7 495 645 6549, [email protected]
(United States) Lisa Sullivan +1 774 377 3374, [email protected]
(United States) Christopher Boian +1 202 521 1310, [email protected]

SOURCE RIA Novosti