LONDON - IOC President Thomas Bach defended the choice of Sochi as host of the Winter Olympics on Monday and said hes "sleeping very well" despite the terror threat hanging over the games. Bach reiterated his confidence that Russia will provide "safe and secure" games without taking away from a festive Olympic atmosphere. Russia is mounting a massive security operation for the games, which open Feb. 7 amid threats of attacks from Muslim insurgents from the North Caucasus region. "We have full confidence in the host country and we also know that Russia and the Russian (security) services are working closely with different international services in order to ensure that all the participants and spectators in the games can feel safe and secure," Bach said in a conference call with reporters. On a separate issue, Bach repeated that Russia has promised that athletes and spectators will not face any discrimination based on sexual orientation. Russia enacted a law last year banning gay "propaganda" among minors. Bach said athletes are free to speak out on any political issues at news conferences at the games, but are prohibited from doing so on the medal podium or other Olympic sites. "Its very clear that the games cannot be used as a stage for political demonstrations," he said. "The IOC will take, if necessary, individual decisions based on the individual case. On the other hand, the athletes, of course, enjoy the freedom of speech. So, if in a press conference they want to make a political statement, then they are absolutely free to do so." More than 50,000 police and military personnel are being deployed to guard Russias first Winter Games. An Islamic militant group in Dagestan claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings that killed 34 people in late December in Volgograd and threatened to attack the games in Sochi. Russian security officials have been hunting for three potential female suicide bombers, one of whom is believed to be in Sochi itself. Bach said the International Olympic Committee remains in constant contact with Russia about the security measures. Asked whether hes worried, he said, "Im sorry to tell you Im sleeping very well." "Im really looking forward to the first Winter Games under my presidency and Im very confident they will be successful," said the German, who was elected head of the IOC in September, succeeding Jacques Rogge after 12 years in office. Bach compared the security situation to that of the 2002 Salt Lake City Games in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in the U.S. "In Salt Lake City there were thousands of security people around the place and people still felt fine and appreciated seeing that security was being taken seriously," he said. "I think the security forces can operate in a way that doesnt affect the atmosphere." Bach also defended Russias massive spending on the games. The $51 billion price tag — which includes the cost of roads, railways, hotels and other projects — is a record for any Olympics. Bach said Russia was using the Olympics as a "catalyst" to transform the region and create a winter sports complex for the entire country. Its up to host nations, he said, to decide how — and how much — they invest in long-term infrastructure projects. The spending on the Sochi Olympics has been engulfed in claims of kickbacks and other corruption. On Monday, anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny claimed that Russia spent twice as much as necessary to build at least 10 of the Olympic venues. Bach said the IOC stands "against any form of corruption," adding that he hopes people can differentiate "between just a general claim and concrete information." In general, Bach said, the Olympic atmosphere is building up in Sochi as the games approach. Referring to concerns about warm weather in the subtropical area, he said there was "plenty of snow" and more was forecast for later in the week. "I think overall we can say Sochi is ready to welcome the best winter athletes of the world," Bach said. Adidas Jerseys . The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Soccer Jerseys . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/. - The Oakland Athletics say they are stopping negotiations to extend their lease at the Coliseum. China Jerseys . In their first meeting for six years, the Frenchmen dropped serve twice in the first set, but Giquel broke Simon two more times in the second. Gicquel moves on to face sixth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who advanced with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) win against wild card Pierre-Hugues Herbert, despite the Frenchmans 23 aces. Stitched Jerseys . With the final four being arguably the four best – and most complete – teams from the regular season, picking a winner is not as easy as it sounds. WINNIPEG -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal was the turning point as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in pre-season action Wednesday night. And linemate Jordan Eberle believes some of the prospects should get credit for making it happen. "It might have been just before that," he said of Nugent-Hopkins second-period goal. "We had a couple of shifts in our third and fourth lines, some young guys went out there had some zone pressure against them and we were able to capitalize on a shot there." Nugent-Hopkins agreed. "That line of (Kale) Kessy, (Tyler) Pitlick and (Travis) Ewanyk had a big shift for us," he said. Ewanyk and Kessy played last season for Edmontons AHL franchise in Oklahoma City as did Pitlick -- although he also played 10 games with the Oilers. Bogdan Yakimov and Justin Schultz also scored for Edmonton in the second period. Before that it had been all Jets. TJ Galiardi got things started on a first-period breakaway off a long pass from Will ONeill and beat Laurent Brossoit at 14:09. Brossoit played last season in the ECHL and finished with Edmontons AHL farm team in Oklahoma City. Jets forward Evander Kane had a breakaway as well in the first and earned a penalty shot on a hook but hit the crossbar. Wednesday night was the debut of the Kane, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler line. Nugent-Hopkins took the first penalty of the game late in the first period and the Jets opened the second with 1:19 left in their power play. Matt Halischuk cashed in at 1:11 off a pass from Kane as he snapped the puck past Brossoits glove. "We definitely rope-a-doped em. I mean early, it seemed like they were playing in our end quite a bit," said Eberle. Galiardi said the Jets gave it away after their strong start. "It was more what we did, not what they did," said the off-season acquisition from the Calgary Flames. "Every chance they had and every goal they got was basically our doing. We gave them the opportunities and thats thhe kind of team they are.dddddddddddd Theyve got a lot of skill and if you give them those two-on-ones and odd-man rushes theyre going to score." It was Edmontons second pre-season win. The Jets are now 1-1. The Oilers made Brossoit work pretty hard in the second -- at one point the Jets were ahead 17-8 on shots -- but Nugent-Hopkins finally got the Oilers on the board with a slick shot as he rushed past Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba to beat Michael Hutchinsons glove. Yakimov tied the game off a cross-net pass from Vladimir Tkachev at 16:03 and with just nine seconds left in the period Tkachev fed Schultz in front of the Winnipeg net to make it 3-2. The Oilers ended up outshooting the Jets 12-10 in the second. As a measure of how the complexion of the game changed, the Jets had managed only two shots in about 20 minutes of hockey midway through the third period while the Oilers had 20 in the same time span. Tyler Rimmer relieved Brossoit for the third period but Hutchinson stayed in the Winnipeg net. The Jets finally regained some momentum but Halischuk hit the crossbar with just over three minutes left on what could have been the tying goal. Despite the loss, Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice liked what he saw from some of the young players he had in the lineup. "I think Nik Ehlers showed flashes in each of the two games . . . I really liked Nicky Petan in the middle, in the centre face-off . . . Adam Lowrys just smart kind of wherever he goes. . . and (Josh) Morrissey, another step better." He said overall they were too happy with themselves midway through the second, stopped doing what had been working until then and paid for it. "Thats human nature." Maurice also liked the way Kane and Scheifele helped kill penalties. The teams each took three but the Jets managed to kill all of theirs without giving up a goal. Notes -- The Jets sent six more of their young prospects back to their junior teams Wednesday: Axel Blomqvist, Eric Comrie, Chase De Leo, Jan Kostalek, Jimmy Lodge and Nelson Nogier. ' ' '