At the Eastern Economic Forum, during the panel session “Sports Diplomacy: New Challenges and Opportunities”, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee, Michael Degtyarev, stated that the main task for the entire professional Russian sports community is a full-fledged return to the international arena.
He emphasized that the contribution of the champions of our sporting nation is immense, and Russia, and before it the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire, have rightfully earned their place.
“Our task is to return and take a place in accordance with our contribution. The process is moving forward inexorably. This year and last year, more than 3500 athletes have gained the right to participate in international competitions in 28 sports. The Olympic Committee is engaged in accounting for and assisting our athletes, including providing legal support. This year alone, Russian national teams have already participated in 37 official international tournaments. These include European and World Championships. A notable example is the World Judo Championship in Budapest. I had the opportunity to be there; our athletes performed exceptionally well, they did a great job. There is also the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where many watched our athletes’ successes, and our fencers performed well at the Fencing World Championships in Georgia and the European Fencing Championships in Italy. So far this year, there are 83 medals, 34 of them gold. By the end of the year, this number will increase significantly. For reference, last year we won 71 medals, 32 of them gold”, the Minister of Sports said.
The situation with the upcoming Olympic Winter Games remains complex. Currently, our athletes are eligible to compete in only three sports. According to Degtyarev, the entire Russian national team is preparing to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“We wish our speed skaters and figure skaters success in the upcoming qualifying events. An important event we all are striving for is the 2028 Olympic Summer Games, which will be held in the USA. We are preparing to participate in full composition. Next year, we will hold the second summer Spartakiad of the strongest athletes. It will involve 9000 of our athletes. These are domestic qualifying competitions precisely for the Olympic Games. We will review all candidates for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics at the Spartakiad in 2026. International cooperation formats are also developing. Our delegation is preparing to travel to Baku, where the CIS Games will be held. The Minister of Sports of Azerbaijan, Mr. Gayibov, personally invited me”, Michael Degtyarev stated.
At the same time, the return to the global stage is not a single step, but a comprehensive strategy. The head of the sports department emphasized the importance of strengthening national sports institutions and active international work, so that athletes can fully assert themselves again at the largest competitions.
“Last year, a number of federations were merged; this process will be continued. In the near future, skateboarding and roller sports will be merged. Based on the results of the Olympic Games, we will approach the merger of some winter federations. This will take place around March-May of next year”, Michael Degtyarev noted.
Minister of Sports indicated that work regarding international direction is also being carried out: Russia is actively interacting with the IOC, heads of international federations, and friendly countries.
“I personally meet regularly with both IOC members and my colleagues from foreign states, heads of international federations. We welcomed the election of Mrs. Kirsty Coventry as President of the IOC. Our case is with the IOC Legal Commission, and we are awaiting the decision of the organization’s Executive Board on the reinstatement of the Russian Olympic Committee. Without this, it is impossible to resolve the issue of the national team’s admission”, said Michael Degtyarev.
In addition, Minister of Sports stressed that the SCO countries recently came out in favor of equal conditions in sports and against the discrimination of Russian and Belorussian athletes, enshrining this position in the Tianjin Declaration.
“I thank the President of Russia, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, for supporting our athletes. We see discrimination on the grounds of national origin against Russia and Belorussia. And by adopting the Tianjin Declaration, the SCO countries have made it unequivocally clear that they are united against this”, said Michael Degtyarev.
The Minister of Sports reminded that Russia is actively expanding sports cooperation with friendly countries. According to Michael Degtyarev, Russia is the first country to declare its readiness to host the SCO Games.
“Our country is ready to host the Games; we are coordinating the statutory documents and creating an association of sports organizations of the SCO countries. The experience of the BRICS Games has shown that this is an additional international format, not “instead of”, but “together with”. We want to continue this work with international sports organizations. This autumn, the Forum “Russia – Country of Sports” will be held in Samara, I invite all fellow-ministers. The President of Russia extended an invitation to all countries at the SCO summit”, the head of the department noted.
The Minister of Sports reminded that Russia was and remains a great country of sports, and emphasized the necessity of the course towards a return to international sports.
“We are one of nine countries to have hosted both Winter and Summer Olympic Games. Under the national flag, Russia has achieved brilliant victories. More than 10 times at the Games, our athletes led the unofficial medal count. Russia has amassed about 1800 Olympic medals. We will maintain a full-fledged course for a return to international sports. For the younger generation, Olympic champions, world champions are guiding stars”, concluded the Minister of Sports of Russia.
Alexey Svirin – Head of the Russian Rowing Federation, Sergey Soloveychik – Head of the Russian Judo Federaton, and Vath Chamroeun – Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Kingdom of Cambodia, also attended the panel session.
