The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic volunteering program has so far received 160,000 applications, with one month left before the deadline, authorities said Friday.

The program was expected to recruit 28,000 Russian and foreign volunteers, 3,000 of whom would be local residents to guide visitors around the city.

The steering committee of the Games noted that Russia would offer foreign volunteers visa processing services at twice the speed of regular travelers.

The committee also said they would seek experience from the London 2012 Olympic Games, where the organizers selected some 70,000 volunteers from 250,000 applicants.

More than 70 percent of the facilities required are ready with just over a year to go when the Games start, and volunteers have been working at various test events this winter, Interfax news agency quoted the committee as saying.

Sochi Games, the first Winter Olympic Games held in Russia, are to take place from Feb. 7 through 23, 2014.

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