President Vladimir Putin urged officials from the European Judo Union to back Sochi's bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.
"I think that you ... having become acquainted with Sochi will also make a positive contribution to deciding the question of whether Sochi will become the Olympic capital in 2014," Putin, who has a black belt in the sport, was quoted as saying Tuesday by Russian news agencies.
The European Judo Union is meeting in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi _ one of three finalists for the 2014 games, along with Salzburg, Austria and Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The host city will be chosen in July 2007.
