OREANDA-NEWS. December 3, 2010. What role does sport play in the foreign policy sphere?

International ties in the sphere of physical culture and sport are an important means of enhancing mutual understanding and trust, expressing goodwill and developing cooperation among people and nations.

We advocate that sport in the world develop according to its own laws, independent of political considerations, much less become a subject of intrigue or blackmail. Major sporting events, and world championships in various sports enable many thousands of fans, athletes and professionals from different countries to communicate. They are designed to foster genuine people’s diplomacy and better understanding between members of different cultures and faiths.

In our country, much is being done to support the international and national Olympic and Paralympic movements, and to ensure broad participation of representatives of national sport in major international competitions. Necessary steps are being taken to further boost cooperation with international, regional and national sports federations, organizations, clubs, societies and government agencies, and provision is made for regular exchanges of delegations, athletes, teams, coaches and experts in the field of athletic training and for their participation in competitions at various levels and in education and training camps in Russia and abroad.

Cooperation with foreign partners, both bilaterally and multilaterally gives impetus to the development of physical culture and sports in our country, allows for creative use of best practices, and conduces to the reinforcement of Russia’s leading role in the international sports movement and to the adoption by international sports organizations and federations of decisions on implementing high-profile sporting projects in Russia, such as the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, the 2013 Universiade in Kazan, and world and European championships in individual sports.

How do you think Russia's bid for the 2018 World Cup of football is progressing and what are our chances?

I think Russia’s bid has every chance of success. Extensive preparatory work has been done for the presentation of our capabilities to host the World Cup at the highest level. We know – thanks, inter alia, to your informative column – how intensively the Russia 2018 Bid Committee has been working. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our overseas agencies contribute to this work, of course.

Russia has strong arguments. We have never hosted this level of football competitions, and football is loved here nationwide. As you know, I am also happy to go out on the field – unfortunately, lately not as often as desired. Finally, the progress of preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi shows convincingly that we are fully and timely performing all our obligations, including the construction of sports facilities and infrastructure.

In case of a positive decision a lot of work lies ahead in organizing the championship. A series of new stadiums will, inter alia, have to be built and existing ones modified in line with FIFA regulations. Roads, hotels and other infrastructure facilities will need to be constructed. All this is of great importance for the future, since it will allow for creating a solid base so that new generations of Russians have more opportunities to go in for sports, which will ultimately help improve the quality of life for our citizens.

In addition, the World Cup in our country would contribute to reinvigorating international sporting and humanitarian ties of Russia as a whole, would provide an added impetus for successful accomplishment of the tasks of comprehensive modernization and innovative development of the country and generally would serve to further strengthen its credibility and influence in the world.

Taking this opportunity, I wish success to our representatives who will participate in the final presentation of the Russian bid just before the vote.