Russia may bid for Summer Olympics after 2020

Russia may submit a bid to host the Summer Olympic Games after 2020, head of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov said Friday. "Along with the Winter Olympics in 2014, there are many other competitions (in Russia), like the World Cup. After them, in 2020s we would bid for a Summer Olympics," Zhukov told students during an "Olympics class" in Moscow. The official also said that the Russian team's performance in Sochi would be considered a success if the athletes win at least 15 gold medals there. Zhukov, along with Mikhail Terentiev, head of the Russian Paralympic Committee, and Olympics judo silver medalist Alexander Mikhailin met the pupils on the recent London Olympics and the upcoming Winter Games in Sochi. In August, Zhukov promised that Russian athletes could perform successfully in the Summer Olympics due in Brazil in 2016. He also urged that preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games should be launched with no delay. Russia ranked fourth in the London games with 82 medals, including 24 gold, 26 silver and 32 bronze. The country will host the World University Games and the World Championship in Athletics in 2013, the Winter Olympics in 2014, the ice hockey World Cup in 2016 and the soccer World Cup in 2018.