The message reads, in part:
“This year, athletes from 109 countries will meet in Samsun, Turkey, to demonstrate their physical condition, skill and team spirit in a hard-fought and relentless competition at the Summer Deaflympics.
The Russian team’s results at the previous Summer Deaflympics are convincing evidence of its great potential and their resolve to win.
These tough and demanding competitions in a wide range of disciplines will become a trial of character, stamina and ability to overcome difficulties and forge ahead towards the goals you set for yourself.
I am confident that you will perform very well, complementing the traditions of your title-holding predecessors with your own achievements and adding a new page to the history of the Deaflympic movement.”