ROC Secretary General Rodion Plitukhin held an online working meeting with his colleague from the NOC of Syria Nasser Alsayed. The parties discussed strengthening comprehensive interaction and practical cooperation and exchanged views on the “hot topics” of the current Olympic agenda.
The ROC Secretary General pointed out that athletes from Syria actively participate in international sporting events, which are financially supported by the Russian Olympic Committee. For example, last year Syrian athletes competed in cycling in Adygea and taekwondo and karate in Moscow. In addition, the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic regularly participates in the events of the International Committee “Children of Asia,” of which the ROC is one of the founders.
In February 2023, the Syrian National Olympic Committee asked the ROC for assistance in organizing the participation of Syrian boxers in the training camp in Russia in preparation for the Asian Games. With the active support of the Russian Boxing Federation, the request of the Syrian side was fully supported.
Rodion Plitukhin also recalled the direct and productive contacts established between the presidents of the ROC and the NOC of Syria. The two leaders meet regularly and maintain working contacts: in 2020, Stanislav Pozdnyakov and Feras Mualla met in Moscow, and last September, on the sidelines of the X. International Forum “Russia – Country of Sports” in Kemerovo, they discussed further training of coaches and specialists of sports federations in SAR within the framework of educational programs of ROC and other aspects of cooperation.
– The level of relations between our organizations allows us to talk about the need to conclude a comprehensive memorandum of cooperation. As a platform for signing this document, we propose the International Forum of Young Olympians, traditionally held on June 1, International Children’s Day. Hopefully, with the participation of the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic,” said Rodion Plitukhin.
The Secretary General of the Syrian National Olympic Committee, Nasser Alsayed, thanked ROC for its attentive attitude to the problems of Syrian sports and also expressed his support for the Russian athletes, calling the situation in which they cannot participate in international competitions discriminatory.
– The Russian Olympic movement today is under great pressure from unfriendly forces that directly violate the Olympic Charter. Sport should unite the world, but, unfortunately, so far we see movement in the opposite direction, – stated Nasser Alsayed.
The meeting was also attended by Omar Ashour, Executive Director of the NOC of Syria, and Alexei Slautin, Head of the International Relations Department of ROC.
At the end of the meeting, the participants exchanged greetings to their leaders and the Syrian side invited the delegation from ROC to Damascus for a working visit.
