Published on: 2026-10-23
Source: Government of the Russian Federation –
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In Krasnoyarsk, as part of the XIV International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power” (“RSD”), Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko welcomed the participants of the plenary session on the topic “Sport: Uniting the World in an Era of Change.”
The forum is held in accordance with a decree of the President of Russia and supported by the Government. The organizer is the Ministry of Sports and the Roscongress Foundation.
The event was also attended by the Minister of Sports, Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyarev, the Minister of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus Sergey Kovalchuk, the Minister of Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan Adkham Ikramov, the President of the International School Sports Federation of Serbia Zeljko Tanaskovic, the Chairman of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation of the Republic of Cuba Osvaldo Vento Montiller, and the Assistant to the President of the International Sambo Federation Nobuyuki Asai.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a greeting to the forum participants. “Playing sports instills in a person responsibility, discipline, determination – qualities that allow one to achieve success both personally and in serving one’s people and country. It is no coincidence that significant attention is given in the forum’s programs, where you have gathered, to the development of youth sports and the promotion of physical culture among young people. This direction acquires special meaning considering the main theme of this year’s forum – ‘Sport: uniting the world in an era of change.’ Such eras, periods, determine the future and shape the conditions for the further development of states and peoples. Our task is to effectively use resources, knowledge, and experience to provide all opportunities for the realization of the talents of our children and grandchildren,” the head of state noted.
Dmitry Chernyshenko thanked the foreign guests of the “RSD” for participating in the event and noted that the sports sector is among the priorities for Russia. In an era of global change, sports maintain opportunities for dialogue, strengthen mutual respect, and open new avenues for international cooperation.
“Sports are one of the reliable foundations for cooperation. And Russia has always been a hospitable country, where federation leaders and competition organizers have been eager to come. As our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin says, we will always honor the ideals of Olympism and hold open sports competitions. We do a lot for the development of mass and professional sports, build infrastructure, train personnel for the industry, and nurture a personnel reserve. Today, more than 80 million people regularly engage in physical culture in our country. We have target indicators — our national goals. By 2030, more than 70% of Russians should engage in sports. Currently — 62.6%. We are glad to share our experience with international partners,” stated Dmitry Chernyshenko.
He added that the country’s task is to ensure a high level of competition, attract the strongest Russian and foreign athletes, and create interesting and spectacular competitions for the fans.
“We are glad that our athletes are returning to the world arenas – to the highest level. And again they can compete under the flag, anthem, and national symbols of Russia: adult athletes – in 25 Olympic sports, and youth – in 30. At the same time, they never stopped competing and preparing. The 177 medals won by our athletes at the World and European Championships this year are a concrete result. Despite all restrictions, Russia and partner countries continue to hold the largest international competitions – the Games of the Future, the Russian-Chinese Youth Games, the BRICS Games, and the CIS Countries Games. In total, 46 international competitions were held in Russia in 2026, and another 26 are planned by the end of the year,” reported the Deputy Prime Minister.
The Deputy Prime Minister particularly noted the development of sports cooperation within the framework of the Union State – an annual Spartakiad for children and youth is held, along with a match meeting of athletics teams, and the Cup of the strongest athletes of Russia and Belarus. In addition, Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized the growing international popularity of the “phygital” direction, created in Russia at the initiative of President Vladimir Putin. The first Future Games took place in Kazan in 2024, the second in Abu Dhabi, the third in Kazakhstan. In 2028, Kazan will host the VII World Nomad Games.
As part of improving the management of the sports sector, the state program “Physical Culture and Sports” acquired the status of comprehensive starting in 2025. This approach helps more accurately identify local needs and direct resources to where they are demanded.
The Deputy Prime Minister also reported that from 2024 to 2026, 88 capital sports facilities were commissioned in Russia. “More than 1,200 smart sports grounds and GTO (Ready for Labor and Defense) sites have been built, over 30 swimming pools, and 38 martial arts halls. As part of major repairs planned for 2025–2026, the renovation of 100 sports facilities is scheduled. Overall, the availability of sports infrastructure has reached 64.5%, which affects the citizen satisfaction rate with sports activities, which stands at almost 62%,” he emphasized.
This year, the Russian calendar features more than 11,000 mass sporting competitions and events. The GTO complex plays an important role in engaging citizens in sports life. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, about 2,600 testing centers are operating in Russia.
Special attention is given to involving heroes – participants of the special military operation: 754 SVO participants are included in the regional teams, and 64 in the Russian national team. This year, the calendar includes 9 events for veterans, including the Courage Cup and “Heroes of Our Time.”
“When it comes to student sports, more than 590 thousand people participated in the UniverLiga competitions in the 2025/2026 season. A separate priority is adaptive sports. In Russia, among people with disabilities and limited health abilities who have no contraindications for physical activity, almost 30% regularly engage in sports, totaling over 2 million people. For 2026, more than 1.1 thousand events in adaptive disciplines are planned. The plans include the construction of large multifunctional facilities for adaptive sports in Krasnoyarsk, Tula, Omsk, Ulan-Ude, Chelyabinsk, Kursk, and Pskov,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Moreover, financial support for the sector and the training of qualified personnel are being strengthened. For the first time, a wide range of organizations will be able to receive targeted contributions from bookmakers. The budget of the Russian Sports Fund exceeds 33 billion rubles, with more than half of the funds allocated to support youth sports.
“From 2026, the federal program ‘Zemsky Coach’ will be in effect. Coaches moving to work in their specialty to participating settlements receive a one-time payment ranging from 1 million to 2 million rubles. Additional support measures operate in several regions. I ask the Ministry of Sports to consolidate the best practices and share them during meetings with the regions,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
In conclusion, Dmitry Chernyshenko wished the forum participants fruitful work and expressed confidence that the “RSD” will remain a key platform for new solutions, partnerships, and initiatives and will contribute to the further development of sports in Russia and the strengthening of international sports cooperation.
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