or1980v2pt1

The Escort Group and the
Transport Column of the
Relay
In accordance with practice in organising
relays of the Olympic flame
the OCOG-80 created an escort
group.
This group was made up of staff
from the Organising Committee,
people who had worked on the design
of the torches and the ceremonial
cups, well-known Soviet athletes, interpreters,
photographers, cameramen
and journalists. On the territory of
Greece, Bulgaria and Romania the
group consisted of 24 people and in
the USSR was increased to 54 on
account of the increased number of
journalists and technical personnel.
The escort group was to carry out
the official reception of the Olympic
flame from the NOC of Greece, its
preservation and delivery, at the appropriate
time, to the place where the
Games were to take place. In addition
the group was required to give any
help needed to the NOCs of Greece,
Bulgaria and Romania and to the local
organising committees in the USSR.
The transport of the escorting column
was made up of Volga (GAZ-24
and GAZ-2402); RAF-2907 and RAF-
2908 minibuses and Karpaty LAZ-5255
bus.
By order of the OCOG-80 special
escort vehicles were developed on the
basis of their series models.
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The saloons of the minibuses were
equipped to carry the spare flame
lamps, and were provided with refrigerators
to store the gas reservoirs
and with air-conditioning.
The Karpaty bus underwent major
changes in the engine, transmission,
chassis and bodywork. The saloon
was constructed to enable it to be
used as a mobile press-centre and it
was equipped with air-conditioning,
two colour televisions, a loudspeaker.
The transport column of the escort
group, on the territory of Greece,
Romania and Bulgaria, was made up
of three RAF minibuses (for technical
services, the spare flame lamps, and
the representatives of the Mizuno corporation)
and an information bus. On
the territory of the USSR the column
was increased to ten units. The NOCs
of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and the
Soviet republican and region organising
committees brought to the column
additional vehicles for delivering the
runners to the relay, sanitary services.
The Centre for the Olympic Torch
Relay and Opening and Closing ceremonies
was set up in Moscow headed
by a Vice-President of the OCOG-80
who kept up round-the-clock contact
with the escort group, decided any
problems that arose and offered any
help needed by the local organisers.
The Olympic flame escort
vehicles