BUDAPEST - The Hungarian Olympic Committee said on Wednesday it had  received a letter containing a terrorist threat ahead of the upcoming winter Olympic Games in Sochi and that it had heard of others to other countries.

Committee chairman Zsolt Borkai told the national news agency said the Hungarians were taking the threat seriously, had notified the International Olympic Committee and the Russian organisers. He added he had knowledge of other countries' Olympic committees receiving similar threats.

HOC Secretary General Bence Szabo told the daily Nemzeti Sport that the IOC also received a similar letter, adding that  an investigation has already begun.

"The information is true, unfortunately," Szabo said. "A letter written in Russian and English was received at the HOC's international e-mail account, threatening the Hungarian delegation to Sochi with terrorist acts.

"They also told us we had better stay home... Obviously the HOC will not make the decision on how seriously to take the threat or, God forbid, to stay away from the Olympics."

The Hungarian Olympic Committee's top officials could not be reached by Reuters immediately.