IOC denies Russian reports of time switch request

Published Jan. 23, 2013 2:19 p.m. ET

foxsports

The International Olympic Committee denies asking Russia's government to turn clocks back one hour to benefit broadcasters of the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.

The IOC says it was only asked for an opinion, and any decision is ''clearly one for the government.''

Reports in Moscow claimed IOC member Jean-Claude Killy wrote asking if Sochi could be two hours ahead of Central European Time instead of three.

Killy, who leads the IOC panel overseeing Sochi planning, reportedly also raised the issue with President Vladimir Putin.

However, the IOC says it simply responded that ''we would look upon it favorably, so long as the games stakeholders were informed far enough in advance.''

Russian policy to stop using daylight-saving time in 2011 is associated with then-President Dmitry Medvedev, who is now prime minister.