The restrictions that have affected Russian athletes are temporary, said Dmitry Svishchev, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports. He explained that they are not beneficial to big sport, business or politics. He described the future of Russian sports under sanctions in a conversation with Lenta.ru.
“It is unprofitable for any of the international federations to lose such a powerful country as Russia. Russia is one of the most powerful drivers of sports development. These are the best, most beautiful and well-organized competitions, and one of the strongest athletes in the world. The largest market for the sports industry is Russia, it still has 150 million people, so the sports community could take and do this to us only under pressure from world monsters. It’s okay, that’s what we and athletes are for, we will endure, we will survive, we will survive this moment, ”the deputy shared.
Sports development
Despite the suspension from international competitions, Russian sports will continue to develop, he noted. According to Svishchev, a collegium was successfully held today with the participation of representatives of the Presidential Administration and the Olympic Committee, during which the vector of development was clearly defined. Also, the topics of the meeting were the preparation of the budget for the next year and the construction of new sports facilities.
We will develop mass sports, we will develop elite sports, we will hold competitions with those countries, with those athletes who want to come to Russia, do not be afraid. Not all athletes agree with their federations, with their countries, many understand that it is necessary to train and fight with Russians, and not with representatives of countries that do not show results, they must fight honestly, on equal terms
Earlier it became known that the International Skating Union (ISU) banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in competitions under its auspices. The sanctions will affect figure skating, speed skating and short track.
On February 28, the International Olympic Committee recommended that the federations deprive athletes from Russia and Belarus of the right to participate in competitions against the backdrop of a special operation in the Donbass. At the same time, athletes will be able to compete in a neutral status.
The Minister of Sports of Russia Oleg Matytsin said that the department is working to minimize the damage from sanctions against domestic athletes.
Source: Lenta
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
