Tatarstan Ministry of Sports: Kazan will host competitions as part of the First All-Russia sports and athletic contest
On 9 August, speaking at a briefing in the Government house of the republic, Tatarstan Minister of Sports Vladimir Leonov informed that Kazan will hold 11 of 39 kinds of sports competitions of the First All-Russia sports and athletic contest among Russian entities which starts on August 10.
“An event of such level has appeared as currently Russia cannot take part in international contests. By numbers this sports and athletic contest can be compared with Summer Olympics. However the aim was not to concentrate everything in one city. Kazan, holding 11 competitions, is second after Moscow which will host the majority of all events,” Leonov said.
He added that sports competitions will be held by a programme which is close to the Olympic to be held in Paris in 2024 and “the national team of the republic will consist of 400 athletes who will be represented in 33 kinds of sport”.
The Minister reminded that nearly 1 thousand athletes from 16 countries, such as Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, Venezuela, Serbia and others, took part in “The Friendship Games” held in the Kazan Water Sports Palace from 21 to 25 July in the current year and attracted bigger audience that the stage of the world swimming series held in the capital of Tatarstan last year. “At first we had applications from 28 countries but only 16 were able to come. I am sure that there will be more participants at the next stages”, the Minister concluded.