IOC President Hits Playground

(ATR) IOC president Thomas Bach spent about 15 minutes on Monday playing at a McDonald’s playground.

He was there for the opening of the playground, Russia’s first barrier-free playground, a project from the Ronald McDonald House, the TOP Sponsor’s official charity.

Click here for a Photodesk of the event.

Joining Bach for the formal part of the ceremony were McDonald’s Chief Operating Officer Tim Fenton, Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko and Polina Hairetdinova. Hairetdinova is a young child who is confined to a wheelchair. She has been the face of McDonald’s charity campaigns in Russia ahead of the Games.

"This is showing and demonstrating that McDonald’s is really sharing the Olympic values with the International Olympic Committee," Bach said before heading to the playground where he helped the youngsters swing, climb ladders and slide.

"Sharing Olympic values means that you know success always brings responsibility with it.

"If you are successful, whether in business or in sport, or culture or in other areas, you can only be successful within your society--You have to give back to this society.

"McDonald’s is giving back to its society through its foundation and here in Russia by establishing playgrounds like this."

Bach added that the playground sends a "very strong signal."

"There are no people with abilities or disabilities," Bach proclaimed. "There are only people with very different individual abilities."

Written by Ed Hula III

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