Vladimir Leonov: "Kazan will host five FINA international competitions in 2022"
Vladimir Leonov spoke at the FINA Congress, which was held in Abu Dhabi. In his speech, in particular, he touched upon the legacy of previous competitions under the auspices of FINA in the capital of Tatarstan, and also spoke about plans to organize the World Aquatics Championships-2025, which will also be hosted by Kazan.
"The year for FINA is revolutionary in a sense. A new president, a new bureau. Therefore, at the congress I talked about our collaboration with FINA, starting in 2010. Together we have already held many competitions with them, including the World Aquatics Championships in 2015. Next year Kazan will host five FINA international competitions — the Diving and Synchronized Swimming World Series, the World Short Course Championships, the Junior World Swimming Championships, and the Swimming World Cup stage."
"We are ready for these tournaments, and there are no fundamental doubts. All these competitions will be held on the basis of the Palace of Water Sports. We want to do something interesting in terms of winter activities for the participants of the World Short Course Championships. In Abu Dhabi, where the World Short Course Championship is currently being held +20, we have -20. Therefore, we need to come up with something in our own way. When I showed pictures of winter Kazan, everyone said: "Wow, that's interesting." We have opened a new ski and biathlon complex. It would be interesting to arrange some winter extra-competitive events."
The head of the department also spoke about the future facilities of the 2025 World Cup.
"We'll see how the economic situation develops, but there is a desire to build a closed facility for high diving. There is no training facility for high divers: the Water Sports Palace has a 19-meter tower, and men jump from 27 m, so this height is not enough for them. This facility could also be used for synchronized swimming and diving."
"We want to implement it next to the Palace of Water Sports. We are engaged in design and estimate documentation. I would like this World Cup to have its own legacy. This center would be in demand not only by our children and schools, but also by the FINA Development Center, which we opened three years ago. During this time, 40 athletes from 32 countries of the world have passed through it, 10 of these athletes have been selected and performed at the Olympics. They have an educational module, accommodation, logistics, a training facility and coaching expertise, which allowed them to qualify for the Games."
The second infrastructure project that we would like to implement and the World Cup could force this is a multifunctional center where swimming and synchronized swimming competitions could be held during the World Cup. We are already looking closely, we are also studying the prospects for further operation. There are a number of places where we can build it in Kazan, but so far it is in some second echelon, in terms of development, we have made more progress with the object for diving. Regarding the infrastructure and the facilities of the 2025 World Cup, which I have already mentioned, 2022 will be decisive, when there will already be a clear understanding on this issue," Leonov said.
Kazan received the right to host the 21st FINA World Aquatics Championships in July 2019 at a special press conference in Gwangju (Korea). Competitions will be held in six sports: swimming, diving, open water swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo, and diving.