Dmitry Medvedev: "The Russian Olympians foundation has helped many athletes, coaches and specialists (over 7,500 people), students of specialised Olympic Reserve schools (about 240,000 people). Over 330 athletes, coaches and specialists have been receiving support through programmes to prepare for the Sochi Games."
Dmitry Medvedev’s introductory remarks:
Meeting on supporting Russia’s Olympic athletes
Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to greet participants and partners of the Russian Olympians Foundation. It appears that, for all of us, this was one of the first examples of effective cooperation between the state and private business in the area of sport. Before we exchange information on the achievements of previous years, I would like to cordially thank all of you for this work. I will remind you that we had started this work as far back as 2005. At that time, the situation was largely different. But, obviously, we have managed to accomplish a lot together over these years. Incidentally, this is not a Russian invention, as many major sport powers, including Germany, the Republic of Korea and some other countries, have similar organisations (sport support foundations).
Dmitry Medvedev: "The foundation has helped many athletes, coaches and specialists – over 7,500 people. It has also helped students of specialised Olympic Reserve schools, where lots of our children – about 240,000 of them – study and veteran Olympic athletes."
Over this period, the foundation has helped many athletes, coaches and specialists – over 7,500 people. It has also helped students of specialised Olympic Reserve schools, where lots of our children – about 240,000 of them – study and veteran Olympic athletes. As I see it, this was particularly valuable some time ago when insignificant state support measures were implemented. In all, an impressive 7 billion roubles, or so, were collected for these purposes. In an effort to ensure the continuity of generations, the foundation has funded the professional improvement and retraining of 84 athletes who have completed their sporting careers.
The foundation’s partners have provided and continue to provide prompt financial support to athletes and entire Olympic sport federations. Substantial funding was also allocated for these purposes. On the whole, this work was conducted along all directions I mentioned. To my mind, the foundation has performed very effectively over these years, and you and I have met quite regularly, sometimes a bit more often and sometimes less frequently.
Dmitry Medvedev: "The foundation has approved programmes to prepare Russian athletes for the upcoming Olympic Games. Over 330 athletes, coaches and specialists have been receiving our support during the past two years. There are also plans to support our winners after the Olympics."
In all, 3,500 athletes, virtually all winners of previous Olympic Games, have received grants.
Meeting on supporting Russia’s Olympic athletes
I would like to mention Sochi separately. The foundation has approved programmes to prepare Russian athletes for the upcoming Olympic Games. Over 330 athletes, coaches and specialists have been receiving our support during the past two years. There are also plans to support our winners after the Olympics.
Considering all these decisions, we can say that, on the whole, sufficiently comfortable conditions have been created in order to prepare for the Sochi Olympics and other international sport competitions, thanks to the foundation’s support, in part, and these conditions, in our view, meet the highest world standards.
Dmitry Medvedev: "Sufficiently comfortable conditions have been created in order to prepare for the Sochi Olympics and other international sport competitions, thanks to the foundation’s support, in part, and these conditions, in our view, meet the highest world standards."
The Russian Olympians Foundation has carried out other important sport projects as well. I’m referring to the financing of sport clubs and even the construction of certain Olympic facilities. I will not go further in enumerating these accomplishments, but I can say that a lot has been done.
Let us discuss what we still have to do and how we can further develop the programmes related to the professional training of retired athletes, and how we can best ensure that there will be no shortages of coaches, as well as of support for our youth and for sport schools, which are the mainstay of the Olympic reserve’s training.
Naturally, all these initiatives should be implemented as was originally agreed. This is a matter for the state and for all those who are ready to support sport in our country. I would call it a good joint project.
Thank you once again. I suggest we discuss all that I just said and talk about our future plans.
<…>
