The session covered diverse aspects of international cooperation, the unifying role of sport, and its value in the modern world.
The overall tone of the discussion was set through a video link by Michael Degtyarev, the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation and President of the Russian Olympic Committee.
«Restoring the rights of Russian athletes remains one of the key tasks of the Ministry of Sports of Russia and the Russian Olympic Committee, » the Minister emphasized. «Currently, over 4000 Russian athletes in 28 Olympic sports are eligible to compete in international events. Our national teams have been reinstated in team tournaments in swimming, fencing, judo, archery, rowing, and modern pentathlon. In tennis, figure skating and canoe sprint, Russian athletes compete in pairs. In 2025, Russian athletes participated in 37 official world and European championships across Olympic sports, securing 91 medals, including 35 golds».
There have also been achievements on the diplomatic front. Paralympians have regained the right to compete under the national flag and with the national anthem at tournaments organized under the auspices of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). A positive development to note is the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) announcement of its intention to ensure the participation of all National Olympic Committees and their athletes in the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. In practical terms, this means that the 2026 Games in Milan will likely be the final ones where our athletes compete under a neutral status. The legal proceedings regarding several significant issues have now reached a successful conclusion.
Michael Degtyarev believes that strengthening sports ties with friendly nations is of great importance. Russia emerged as the overall champion of the III CIS Games, securing the highest number of gold medals and total medals. In 2025, over 1300 joint events with Belarus are scheduled. Joint tournaments in sambo, volleyball, and other sports are being held in cooperation with Serbia, along with exchange programs for coaches and specialists.
Zoran Gajic, a renowned volleyball coach and the current Serbian Minister of Sports commented on this and suggested that all interested countries join forces in the field of sports diplomacy.
«In a time of significant divisions, athletes are among those who suffer the most, » Gajic emphasized. «Restrictions on Russian citizens have been in place for nearly a decade. My colleague Michael Degtyarev and I have been actively working to address this— we have organized football and volleyball matches, as well as meetings in boxing, wrestling, and karate. These tangible actions show solidarity with our Russian allies and the state. However, it is important to recognize that these steps alone will not resolve the problem. We must prioritize sports diplomacy, as decisions are made within the IOC and International Federations. It is essential that we come together to analyze the situation, strategize our actions, and participate in elections. Only then we can see sport without borders and sanctions, where everyone is on equal footing».
Degtyarev also emphasized that the IOC Executive Board has recently issued a clear statement affirming that athletes’ participation in international competitions should be guaranteed regardless of their nationality. He noted that any form of discrimination based on political motives fundamentally contradicts the principles of the Olympic movement. The World Curling Tour director Joe Walchli agrees with this message.
«Sport has always served as a universal language, breaking down borders and inspiring young people to reach new heights, » Walchli believes. «In these challenging times, this quality of sport is more valuable than ever; it has the power to transform rivals into partners and strangers into friends. As part of the WCT, a tournament is taking place in Belgrade, where Russian teams are returning for the second year and receiving a warm welcome. The International Federation is currently adhering to a different stance, but we believe that sports can bridge misunderstandings and strengthen ties between nations. It is important to remember that medals measure not all aspects of sports. Our priority now is to uphold genuine values. Let us collaborate to achieve this together».
