Sochi’s Accessibility Map project wins Runet Award

The Sochi 2014 organising committee’s online Accessibility Map was awarded for its advancement in technology and social purpose. 26 Nov 2012

Sochi 2014 Biathlon and Cross Country Skiing Centre

ⒸSochi 2014

By IPC

“As we draw closer to the Paralympic Games in Sochi, we have a real chance to get the whole country involved in helping change our society’s attitudes towards people with disabilities. I'm grateful to everyone who is supporting the Accessibility Map project, and to everyone who voted for it."

The Sochi 2014 organising committee’s Accessibility Map online project has won the Runet Award – which celebrates advances in technology and the internet – in the category of Health, Entertainment and Leisure.

The project launched with 500 days to go until the Paralympic Games in Sochi and helps people with disabilities find places locally where they can practice sport in a barrier-free environment. Since the project’s launch more than 1,250 venues across Russia have been added to the map.

The award for the project was accepted by double Paralympic champion swimmer Olesya Vladykina in Moscow.

"The main objective of the project's organisers is to move further towards creating a barrier-free environment,” Vladykina said.

“As we draw closer to the Paralympic Games in Sochi, we have a real chance to get the whole country involved in helping change our society’s attitudes towards people with disabilities. I'm grateful to everyone who is supporting the Accessibility Map project, and to everyone who voted for it."

One of the factors that greatly influenced the award committee’s decision was the project's social purpose, which was expressed in an eye-catching way, and the whole range of opportunities that the resource opens up in terms of developing a barrier-free environment.

The first ever Paralympic Games in Russia's history will serve as a symbol for the development of a new society, free from both barriers and stereotypes.

“Each day there are new accessible venues being added to the map and we are determined that our efforts to promote the Paralympic venues will be a step towards changing society’s attitudes towards people with disabilities,” Sochi 2014 President Dmitry Chernyshenko said.