Sophia the Great:
– The Commission and its importance are increasing all over the world. There is a growing interest in her work. That's why we're here to discuss ideas, thoughts, and find solutions that suit us. The task of the Athletes' Commission is to convey all these ideas to the leadership of the Russian Olympic Committee and the international community.
I would like to thank Olga Brusnikina, who was the first chairman of the Athletes' Commission since 2005, for the tremendous work she has done. She has passed on a lot to us, and my colleagues and I are following this direction.
I would like this meeting to be held in a friendly format. Feel free to chat, participate in discussions, share ideas and thoughts so that together we can outline a plan for the new Olympic cycle and try to implement it. There is a difficult period ahead, which we must pass with dignity and profitably.
I am proud of our athletes who, despite all the difficulties and limitations, were able to show decent results, win medals and demonstrate their strength to the whole world.
Natalya Pakhalenko
Sofya Velikaya also summed up the work of the Athletes' Commission over the past five years. Here are the key theses of the report.
– The Commission's activities are regulated by the Regulation, which is regularly updated in accordance with the requirements of the IOC. According to it, more than half of the members of the Commission must be elected by their colleagues and be active athletes. An athlete who continues his career or completed it no more than 12 years ago is considered to be active.
The main tasks of the Commission are: to formulate proposals to support Russian athletes, both active and retired, as well as to improve the conditions for training athletes to participate in competitions; to interact with the IOC, EOC and other international sports organizations, to counter the use of doping and any manifestation of discrimination or violence in sports, to protect the rights of clean athletes. to represent their interests, including in the international arena.
On December 12, 2017, the Olympic Assembly, based on the opinion of the ROC Athletes' Commission, supported the decision on the participation of our athletes in the Winter Games in Pyeongchang. The participants of the 2018 Olympic Games demonstrated incredible courage, bravery and fortitude, once again proving that Russian athletes are strong with their talent and skill, and achieve incredible results by following the principles of clean and fair play.
The ROC Athletes' Commission will continue to defend the rights of our athletes, while being in an open and friendly dialogue with colleagues fr om the IOC. During this cycle, the Commission has repeatedly participated in numerous conference calls and discussions and will definitely continue to work to strengthen the position of Russian sports in the international arena.
– The Commission is also working very actively with RUSADA on anti-doping issues, and at the end of 2018 asked to pay attention to cases of registration of a missed doping test, when doping officers could not enter the territory of the protected residential complex wh ere the athlete lives, because they had not been ordered a pass.
– On the eve of the Tokyo Games in March and July, two videoconferences were organized at the initiative of the Commission, to which athletes-candidates for the Olympic team and representatives of federations were invited to explain all anti-bullying measures and other subtleties and restrictions (on the use of symbols). More than 100 people participated in the calls.
Natalya Pakhalenko
– Since 2018, the Commission has made significant progress in terms of cooperation with international organizations, the IOC and WADA. Today, the Commission is actively involved in discussing various issues on the international agenda, participates in discussions on rules 40 and 50, participates in the development of the IOC COP strategy, and participates in the creation of the Athletes' Declaration, which has become a unique document for the entire world community.
– An important area of the Commission's work is the search for educational opportunities for athletes. Over the past 5 years, the Commission has actively cooperated with the Moscow Financial and Industrial University "Synergy", MGIMO, MSU, RIOU. Every year, more than 30 athletes, on our recommendation, receive a scholarship from the Olympic Support Fund to study at RIOU.
In 2020, in cooperation with the IOC and the Athlete365 team, we organized the first Career+ educational seminar "Charge your Future" in Russian. The Commission is also looking for opportunities to provide English language courses. This year, the members of our Commission signed up for the annual English First online course at the expense of the IOC grant.
– The members of the commission took part in an event organized by the Higher School of Cultural Policy and Management in the Humanitarian Field of Moscow State University and the Russian Olympic Committee – the musical flash mob "Olympic Charge" with the participation of Olympic champions and medalists from different years.
– Every year, members of the ROC CC actively participate in the largest mass summer sports festival – the All-Russian Olympic Day, as well as in the celebration of Winter Sports Day and the All-Russian Walking Day.
Members of the ROC Athletes' Commission traditionally take an active part in the ROC Olympic Patrol project, in which famous athletes meet with children and share their experiences.
– Last year, the ROC COP prepared recommendations on the creation and operation of Athletes' Commissions in All-Russian sports federations. We strive to establish an Athletes' Commission in each federation and are always ready to provide support and share our experience.
