Riga became the capital of Fair Play for a few days

From 9 to 11 October in the capital of Latvia the 20^th anniversary Congress was held, and right after the Congress the European Fair Play Movement General Assembly took place.

This movement originated two decades ago. Slowly but surely it was gaining popularity and increasing its membership. The award for those who have shown the spirit of sportsmanship became annual. Russia joined the movement in 1995. Today sports organizations from 39 countries which gathered in Riga for the Congress “Fair Play Values – a bridge between sports and culture in Europe, without discrimination” and the General Assembly are full members of the movement.

“The address by President of the Russian Fair Play Committee, member of the Administrative Council of the International Committee for Fair Play, deputy editor in chief of Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper Nikolai Dolgopolov was highly appreciated by the audience, – said the Head of the ROC Olympic Education Department, Secretary-General of the Russian Fair Play Committee Alexander Kontanistov. –  It was dedicated to the life of the very first winner of the Pierre de Coubertin medal Italian bobsledder Eugenio Monti, who lent his sled to his rivals, the British bobsledders, who  thanks to his generosity won the gold at the 1964 Olympic Games.”

In his report President of the Russian Fair Play Committee called upon the members of the organization on the one hand not to exaggerate, and on the other hand not to simplify the concept of Fair Play in sports.  “Perhaps Fair Play  is especially evident in sports, more than in other areas of life.

The President of the International Paralympic Committee, Philip Craven agrees with this view. He is sure that in the Paralympic Movement you can also find many examples of Fair Play. Constant struggle and overcoming  inevitable difficulties, encountered by the Paralympians, is a case in point.

Philip Craven sincerely thanked the Russian delegation for the understandable, visual report presented at the Congress.

The next European Congress on Fair Play will be held in Baku, as well as the World Congress and the General Assembly in 2015.