On March 17, the ROC hosted a meeting between the leaders of the NOC of Belarus, the Russian Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov, Oleg Matytsin and Viktor Lukashenko discussed a wide range of issues related to the upcoming Olympic Games.
The key topic was the athletes’ preparation for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo. Chronobiological and climatic-geographical adaptation to the conditions of the Olympic Games requires special focus at the final stage. Infrastructural, scientific-methodological and scientific-technical possibilities of holding training camps and joint training events are equally important.
In this respect the parties discussed prospects of using the infrastructure facilities of the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation by national teams of the Republic of Belarus, as well as the interaction and approaches to vaccination of athletes and other members of delegations bearing in mind recommendations of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and the IOC on measures to protect and safeguard the health of the Games’ participants and guests.
The participants of the meeting paid considerable attention to the issues of education and sharing of experiences with participation of representatives of the NOCs of Russia, Belarus and other countries, including within the framework of the projects supported by the IOC Olympic Solidarity.
In particular, the parties discussed the increased involvement of the Belarusian specialists in the programs of the Russian International Olympic University, participation of young Belarusian athletes in the International Forum of Young Olympians and preparation for participation of the ROC and the NOC of Belarus representatives in the Forum of the NOCs of the CIS, Baltic States and Georgia scheduled for this autumn in Tashkent.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov, the ROC President:
– We are pleased to meet our colleagues from the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Olympic Committee. This visit is very important in terms of further steps to develop and strengthen practical cooperation. It has historically been very close, we talked today on a variety of topics, and I would like to note that the dialogue was very constructive and useful.
Given the current challenges, we consider such meetings necessary to share experience and to develop balanced approaches to overcoming any issues.
Our neighbors and colleagues, who have just recently held excellent European Games, continue to prepare for the Tokyo Olympic Games, guided as all participants of the Olympic movement, by the interests of athletes and creating the most comfortable conditions for their performances. And here our positions coincide completely.
That’s why we spent a lot of time discussing in detail the opportunities which our NOCs have for the joint preparation of athletes for the Olympic Games, not only summer Games but also winter Games.
We are also ready to offer our colleagues to take part in educational, youth and other projects which will serve the development of Olympism, promotion of Olympic values and unity of our big Olympic family.
Viktor Lukashenko, President of the NOC of Belarus:
– The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Olympic Committee have always had warm and friendly relations. Our positions coincide in many aspects of the development of sport and the Olympic movement.
Without doubt, the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games and the next Olympic Games in Beijing in February 2022 will be of paramount importance for both countries. The proposals by the Russian party and, in particular, by the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation to hold joint training camps in Siberia and the Far East are very interesting. For its part, the Belarusian party is ready to provide all possible assistance to the training camps of Russian athletes, if necessary. I would like to point out that our sports facilities are always open to our Russian brothers.
Your athletes are actively making use of Stayki and Raubichi Olympic training centers, a freestyle center and other sports facilities in Belarus to prepare for important international competitions.
I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the Russian Olympic Committee for cooperation and support in Olympic education, for the opportunity to participate in the programs of the Russian International Olympic University. I am confident that the ties between the two leading sports organizations will be further strengthened in the near future.
Oleg Matytsin, Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation:
– Russia and Belarus are reliable partners in the field of physical education and sport, which contributes to the strengthening of brotherly, allied relations between the two countries. Sharing of experience in elite and grassroots sport, joint research projects help the progress of the sports industry in Russia and Belarus.
In October 2020 in Brest, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus signed the Program of Cooperation in Physical Education and Sport for 2021-2022. We cooperate on scientific and methodological support for national teams and organize joint training camps.
We are ready to consider the possibility of holding joint training camps at Russian facilities in Siberia and the Far East, where there is the required infrastructure and equipment for successful preparation of national teams for major international competitions.
