Russia will create one of the best anti-doping systems in the world and has already put a specially developed plan into practice. Vladimir Putin announced this today in Ulyanovsk during the "Russia is a Sports Power" forum. Guests from all over the country went there to discuss tasks and achievements both in the professional and popular sports. However, the participation wasn't limited to official discussion both for them and the president.
Vladimir Putin had a conversation with many famous sportsmen, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, whose name has been in the headlines both due to his resounding victory in Las Vegas and everything that followed it.
Our correspondent Dmitry Petrov reports from Ulyanovsk.
The long-awaited meeting took place: the president greeted Khabib Nurmagomedov, winner of the UFC World Championship. He arrived here specifically from Dagestan, together with his father.
Vladimir Putin: "You are a citizen of Russia and we are interested in how our citizens are treated no matter where they are or what do they do. So we carefully watched it, worried about you. I will ask your father not to discipline you too strictly because you did fulfill your main task: you won. And you won graciously and convincingly".
Now, when international sports diplomacy has gotten into the act, even such a strong sportsman needs words of encouragement more than ever.
Khabib Nurmagomedov: "I didn't control some of the moments too because the provocations continued even during the fight".
Vladimir Putin: "I think that we are like one big family in the country. Whatever happens here, we must avoid extremes, to not make such jumps, whatever happens. But if you are attacked from the outside, then, of course, we all can jump, not only you, and they won't find it funny. But one better not to bring it up to that".
Ulyanovsk hosts the seventh "Russia is a Sports Power" forum and for those three days, it becomes the sports capital of the country because the celebrities of Russian and foreign sports come here. The fire of the Winter Universiade, lit in Turin, has arrived in Ulyanovsk and has already been to Moscow, Kaliningrad, and Simferopol.
And the new soccer school has just opened. It has 10 mini soccer fields and one standard-sized field in the open air. Right now, the local team "Universitet" has 250 children, while the academy will have 1,200, and some of them will surely get onto the national team.
Pavel Kolobkov, Russian Minister of Sport: "1,000 children come to the sport, do sports. With any luck, they may join the professional teams".
An exhibit is set up in the sports palace: the best the sports industry has to offer. But the main thing is the people: 8.5 million Russians have joined the renewed GTO program.
Dasha: Have you passed the GTO?
Vladimir Putin: Yes, I have. Back in my time, everyone in school did it. Me too. But it wasn't so hard for me because I practiced wrestling.
- Do you have a badge?
- Back then, I had already had a category, so I had a right to not pass the GTO at all. But I did it nonetheless.
Using the opportunity, Dasha asked the president for help. She practices gymnastics and their school in Ufa lacks long jump pits. Vladimir Putin immediately ordered the Minister of Sport to solve this issue.
Vladimir Putin: Don't forget.
- I won't.
- We'll deal with it. Okay. Agreed?
Sports in the country is rapidly becoming younger. The president thinks that this is due to the sports achievements of Russia, first of all, as a host of major tournaments.
Vladimir Putin: “I'll note that as the results of the Universiade in Kazan, the Olympic Games in Sochi, and the FIFA World Cup, the number of those engaged in sports clubs, classes, has grown sharply, one might say several-fold. That's what we surely counted upon when we contested for hosting those events and organized those major sports events. I hope that this tendency will continue next year when Russia will host the World Winter Universiade and the World Boxing Championship.”
Russia is open to the world and is ready to offer its BRICS and EurAsEc partners that our sportsmen meet more often during the large regional tournaments. The president also raises the doping issue.
Vladimir Putin: “We have a strong determination to create one of the best anti-doping systems. In order to do that, we have developed a special national plan and are putting it into practice. We think that this is essential both for Russia and the rest of the world. Yes, of course, we saw and we see the failures in our anti-doping system but I want to note that those are not our internal problems. They unraveled the obvious imperfections of the whole international anti-doping system. We agree with our partners, who say that the current system needs changes. We all need to create unified rules that are transparent, fair, and equal to all athletes.”
Putin managed to meet the famous champions at the forum.
Svetlana Kolesnichenko, the Olympic Champion in synchronized swimming:
- Us professional sportsmen would like to meet you more often in informal settings.
Vladimir Putin: I've already learned to swim, so we could even swim together. I admire your performances all the time.
- Thank you.
- The synchronized swimming always has the top results. We can be proud and we are.
- We do our best.
And here are special hockey sticks for physically challenged children.
- We made the sticks especially for them so that they can play comfortably.
Vladimir Putin: They're good sticks.
Those boys and girls are preparing to work as volunteers at the Universiade, which will be held next year in Krasnoyarsk.
- Will you play a game with us?
Vladimir Putin: Okay, what do I need to do? I hope the game is free.
- Absolutely.
- I don't need money, right?
- The bonus card has three questions.
- I don't have any cash on me.
- You won't need it. They are volunteers, they won't need it for sure.
- Okay.
- You can ask one or three questions.
- In which sports do women more often watch their weight?
- It's chess!
Of course, there's a photo with the president at the end of the meeting and the parting words: Putin wishes good luck to the volunteers. According to the president, participating in a major event such as the Winter Universiade is a gift of destiny.
Dmitry Petrov, Ruslan Bikbulatov, Ilya Baev, Alexander Antonov, Daniil Ekimov, Vesti, Ulyanovsk.
