Copenhagen  - Organizers of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics were told on Wednesday they have made progress over the past year but have no time to waste in delivering their Games from the drawing board.

"No delay is permitted," International Olympic Committee coordination commission chairman Jean-Claude Killy told the Russians at the IOC Session. "Coordination between all actors is essential."

He repeated this a few minutes later, saying "no second can be lost," that "the transportation plan has to be finalized as soon as possible" and "fine-tuning for test events is needed."

The Black Sea resort of Sochi won the 2014 Games in 2007 from the IOC and has to build everything from scratch. Killy observed "tangible progress since 2008" and agreed that the full support of the Russian government is helping to create "a solid foundation for the project."

Killy confirmed that "work has started" on various sites but that construction as well as other measures require "special attention."

There has been concern about budgets and relocation of locals, and human rights issues as well. Human Rights Watch media director Minky Wordan saying at the Olympic Congress at the weekend that death threats have been issued against journalists reporting on the Games.

The Russians dismissed the concerns on Wednesday in their presentation with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak insisting that "all rights of local residents are taken into account."

Kozak and Sochi organizing committee CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko pledged that the project was financially sound, construction underway and test events scheduled from 2012 onwards.

"The project is a national priority," Chernyshenko told the IOC. (dpa)