KEY CONCLUSIONS
Olympic values are
the manifestation of the humanity’s ideals
“Olympic games are probably the only event that
unites basically the whole world in peaceful competitions, in peaceful
tournaments. As of today, 206 countries, 206 national Olympic committees will
send their athletes to take part in the next Olympic Games in Tokyo. The motto
of the Olympics – Unity in Diversity – is the ultimate expression of the
humanity’s best ideals that were shaped in this model of athletic
competitions,” Stanislav Pozdnyakov, President, Russian Olympic Committee.
“We believe in sport, we believe in physical
culture, but most of all we believe in the values of the Olympic Movement,”
Pere Miró, Deputy General Director, International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“The main goal of the Olympic Games is global
peace, which is needed for the development of the whole world, for the harmony
in the whole world, and to achieve it, we use sport as an instrument,” Yasuhiro
Yamashita, President, Japanese Olympic Committee; Olympic Champion in Judo.
Olympic Games unite
nations all over the world
“Mutual influence – a highly complementary one. Now
it makes it hard to tell original European values that stemmed from the
European culture from the highly important and exuberant additions that adhered
with the help of the Asian part of the world,” Alexander Karelin, Hero of the
Russian Federation, Three-Time Olympic Champion in Greco-Roman Wrestling.
“Modern sport technologies see no boundaries. All
sports have become very cosmopolitan: borders are open, technologies and
methods are common knowledge, and various coaches are involved in other
countries’ training programmes. This is yet another part of sport cultures
intertwining. This process cannot be stopped, and it makes no sense to do it.
It should only be supported," Stanislav Pozdnyakov, President, Russian
Olympic Committee.
“It is not just athletes that interact at the
Olympic Games. It is countries interacting, and it is the spirit of uniting and
unity that is the specialty feature of major competitions, and the Olympic
Games are the top competitions in the athletic world. This is very important,”
Konstantin Vybornov, Head of Information Service, Media Relations Officer,
Russian Olympic Committee.
Developing physical
education and sport in Russia is among the government’s priorities
“Russia pays great attention to physical education
and sports. <…> Physical education and sport are not just about athletic
facilities. It is also pre-schools and education institutions. It means
cooperating with other ministries and agencies, as well as governors’ efforts
on the regional level,” Igor Levitin, Aide to the President of the Russian
Federation.
Investments in
sport help economic development
“When it comes to economic stability and growth,
large countries of the region take sport development and physical education
very seriously. They invest a lot in it, because it is truly important.
<…> Olympic Games is a beautiful event that draws attention from a lot of
people and has a real impact on the economic development,” Marius Vizer,
President, International Judo Federation (IJF).
PROBLEMS
Politics interferes
with sport
“Politics should not interfere with sport, because
it is not just the future of sport that depends on it – it is the future of the
mankind. It is sport that unites us and the discord among the politicians that
separates us,” Marius Vizer, President, International Judo Federation (IJF).
“No country should organize Olympic Games and take
the responsibility, if this country is not ready host people from all the
Olympic countries regardless of their political views or beliefs and membership
in any societies or communities,” Pere Miró, Deputy General Director,
International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Physical education
and sport accessibility needs improvement
“Today, unfortunately not all people in our country
can be involved in physical education or practice sports. This very important
for our country,” Igor Levitin, Aide to the President of the Russian
Federation.
“Keeping target audience – young people who practice
sports – is key to maintaining or boosting audience interest to Olympic sports.
We need to create conditions for different kinds of sport, but some of them are
hard to maintain. Let’s take winter sports with luge and bobsleigh tracks. They
are scarce, so these sports are hard to practice,” Stanislav Pozdnyakov,
President, Russian Olympic Committee.
SOLUTIONS
Improving sports
accessibility
“At least 55% of the country’s population should
have permanent access to athletic facilities. Based on our population, it
should be at least 80 million people. This is the target we need to reach in
Russia,” Igor Levitin, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation.
Developing sports
infrastructure in the Eastern part of Russia
“Russia is self-sufficient when it comes to its
athletic facilities, however we have a whole set of critical benefits that we
can use in our preparation for the Games here in the Far East: many time zones,
which can be difficult, but at the same time it can become an opportunity to get
ready for the Olympic Games in Asia in our own facilities,” Stanislav
Pozdnyakov, President, Russian Olympic Committee.
“Russia is not just its European part. Half of
Russia is Asia, and the Far Eastern region plays an important role in the
country’s development. Asia Pacific is a fairly important part of the world,
and we all need to be friends and cooperate somehow,” Koji Murofushi, Sports
Director, Tokyo 2020; Olympic Hammer Throwing Champion.
“Asia Pacific is an Olympic region. In 2020 and
2022, we will be carrying out the plans approved by the International Olympic
Committee,” Igor Levitin, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation.
Athletes need to be
better trained
“We need to pay attention to developing sports and
improving athletes’ results. It will help strengthening Olympic heritage and
the Olympic Movement,” Lee Kee-Heung, President, Korean Sport & Olympic
Committee.
“What matters is that everyone needs to get trained
on equal level, and then the strongest one wins,” Vladimir Uiba, Head of the
Federal Medical-Biological Agency.
Using principles of
sustainable development in preparing for Olympic Games
“We are trying our best to make environmental
impact, the impact on cities positive before the Olympic Games,” Li Lingwei,
Vice President, Chinese Olympic Committee.
“For the first time in history of the Olympic
Games, we are using recycled materials, recycled gadgets to make Olympic
medals. This is how we contribute to sustainable development and environmental
protection of our planet,” Koji Murofushi, Sports Director, Tokyo 2020; Olympic
Hammer Throwing Champion.
For more
information, visit the Roscongress Foundation's Information and Analytical
System at roscongress.org/en.
