In his opening remarks, Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that the forum, which will take place in Samara in the autumn of 2025 as per the President’s order and with the Government’s support, is a major sports event for the country, attracting over 3,000 participants every year. Preparations for this year’s forum have been launched. With the special military operation underway, it is essential that federal and regional governments, volunteers, medical staff, and security services effectively coordinate their efforts, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out.
In his remarks, Presidential Aide and Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport Alexei Dyumin said that at the forum, it is important to step up the work with international organisations and experts on all issues in this sector, including with regard to the ban of athletes not only from Russia, but also from other countries from taking part in international competitions for reasons unrelated to sports.
“Heads of international sports organisations have been increasingly talking about convergence and forging closer ties recently, but there has been little, if any, progress so far. It is essential that we do not default to a waiting mode. Instead, we must work hard to improve the situation by using all the tools we have at our disposal,” Alexei Dyumin stressed.
The Presidential Aide went on to say that as per tradition, the Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport will hold its meeting during the forum. This year, it will focus on an important topic – promoting youth sports.
“The President has already issued several instructions to this effect. There are many longstanding issues falling within the purview of the Government, the Ministry of Sport, and our legislators. The President not only keeps a close eye on the topic of developing youth sports, but attaches special importance to it,” Alexei Dyumin pointed out.
Minister of Sport and President of the Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyarev said that the issues to be discussed at the forum will include improving sports infrastructure, new sources of funding, streamlining management processes, increasing the level of national competitions, and shielding children’s sports from profiteering practices, which the President has mentioned many times. The agenda also covers efforts to develop adaptive sports, which have already become a tool for promoting social integration of people with disabilities.
In addition to this, the Minister announced events devoted to the historical role of athletes during the Great Patriotic War and their post-war achievements, including the first victories by Great Patriotic War veterans in the 1952–1956 Olympics.