Sports Pivot to Asia: Russian Sports Minister Talks India Cooperation
15:27 17.03.2023 (Updated: 17:54 17.03.2023)
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Following the launch of Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine, Russian athletes were barred from participating in international sports competitions.
Moscow is interested in the development of the sports movement in the East, particularly in India and China, Russia's Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin, said in an exclusive interview with Sputnik during his recent state visit to New Delhi.
Matytsin's comments come at a time, when Moscow is trying to reorient its sports focus from Europe to Asia after many global sports organizations, including FIFA, UEFA, Wimbledon, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from taking part in their tournaments.
Russian footballers are no longer allowed in the Champions League, Europe's premier club competition. In addition, tennis stars like Daniil Medvedev are not permitted to use the Russian flag, or logo, when they compete in ATP or Grand Slam tournaments.
To provide their athletes with an alternative platform to participate in an international event, the Russian minister also proposed hosting an inaugural edition of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Games.
Among other things, Matytsin discussed a close partnership with India, wherein Russian coaches would train their Indian counterparts at their universities, specialists and research in football would be exchanged, and football infrastructure in India would be created.
Sputnik: What is the purpose of your visit to India this time? How do you assess the results of your meetings with the Indian Sports Minister, the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and other SCO Sports Ministers?
Matytsin: First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Indian side, to the Minister [for] Youth and Sports, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mr. [Anurag] Thakur, for organizing a meeting within the framework of the Sports Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
We consider this a very important platform for continuing dialogue and strengthening relations between the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and bilateral relations with India, especially with our partners from other countries, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. The meeting once again confirmed the interest of all parties in the development of this cooperation mechanism.
We made a number of concrete proposals, for example, regarding possible SCO Games, suggesting that Russia could host the first Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Games, subject, of course, to the agreement of the presiding country, which would be Kazakhstan.
In my opinion, our proposal was met with understanding and interest. But it also requires more thorough consideration of the number of sports and disciplines, as well as the inclusion of Olympic, non-Olympic and national sports. But as a result of our work, I think it would be a good continuation of our work.
We also proposed creating a working group on sports within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. There are such groups in other areas and we believe that this group could develop, among other things, documents related to the hosting of the Games.
And, of course, an important part of my speech and our joint work at the expert level was the implementation of the proposal made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand for the possible creation of an association of sports organizations within the SCO.
We included this in the final document, and we agreed with our colleagues to continue this work at the level of national coordinators. And I hope that this will also lead to concrete results.
But as you mentioned, my meetings with the Minister, Mr. Thakur, with the President of the Olympic Association, we see a great resource in the development of our relations with India, we see the interest of the Indian side in organizing exchanges and participation of athletes from both sides in competitions, in strengthening interaction with sports federations.
A very important aspect is the cooperation between universities, the development of scientific research in the field of sports. I am sure that from the Russian side we will do our best to give new impetus to the development of Russian-Indian relations.
Because we see that [there is] interest among students to be educated in Russia, and we think it is necessary to increase the quota of Indian students studying in Russia. But there is a lot to learn in India. And I hope that at least in the field of sports, the universities of our countries will also implement this project.
At the global level, we reaffirmed our commitment to the values of sport, the unacceptability of the politicization of sport and discrimination based on nationality, and our willingness to participate in our joint projects.
For example, this year we will hold the University International Sports Festival in Yekaterinburg. The Forum "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum" will be held in Kazan in May. We have also invited all the participants there to take part in a special session dedicated to the development of sports within the framework of this forum.
Next year, the Games of the Future will also be held in Kazan, and the Indian side has expressed interest in participating in these games, as have other countries. So the range of topics is very wide. Over the last few days, I think we have been able to find many of them, not only to discuss them, but also to find some solutions.
It's very good that the World Boxing Championship is taking place these days. We attended the opening ceremony together with the minister (Anurag Thakur - ed.note). I expressed my gratitude for the organization of this championship. And, of course, it is very important that the International Boxing Federation shows such a wise approach and protects the interests of our athletes.
Russians are competing here under the national flag, and I hope that the national anthem will be played for the winners. It's also important that the competition is very fierce. The Indian athletes are very strong. I wish them success as well. Let's hope that our cooperation will continue to develop.
16 March 2023, 18:53
Sputnik: From what you just said, can we observe [the so-called] pivot to the East in the area of sports because of Western sanctions? As we know, due to the West's sanctions, Russia has increased its cooperation with non-Western states in the political, economic and military-technical spheres, but can we now observe a so-called pivot to the East in sports, and if so, what does it mean?
Matytsin: You know, I can't really judge the other areas you mentioned. The thing about sports, we've never really turned ourselves away, I would say. We have always been respectful and very interested in the development of the sports movement in the East, as you say, and particularly in India, and in the People's Republic of China, and in Japan, and in Korea.
Especially since, shall we say, the center of both Olympic and non-Olympic sports activity has been in the East in recent years. The Olympic and Paralympic Games and many championships bear witness to this. That is why we need to give new impetus to our cooperation, I would say, and work more actively with our colleagues from the countries I have mentioned.
Given that there are human resources, scientific resources, and potential here, we said at the SCO Forum that at least two-thirds of the world's population live on the territory of the SCO countries. This includes India, China, the Russian Federation and the countries of Central Asia. Therefore, we must take this factor into account.
The university movement is rapidly developing. Here is where the greatest number of students are doing their academic work, and students are the ones who will determine the existence and fate of the countries included in this perimeter in the future.
The East is really a strategic area of interaction and cooperation in sports right now, I can tell you that. And I can see that the countries of the East also maintain their interest in the Russian Federation. So we need to build on this. And as our colleagues from China say, all 100 colors must blossom. I repeat, as a heavyweight sports and political power, we must strategically build relations with the East, of course, by strengthening various areas.
Sputnik: Let's talk about football for a few moments. With Russian footballers being barred by FIFA and UEFA from taking part in European competitions, the Russian Football Union (RFU) is considering a switch from UEFA to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). As India shares close ties with AFC, do you think India can be helpful to the RFU in this regard?
Matytsin: First, I am absolutely sure that our Indian colleagues and the Russian Football Union have every opportunity to cultivate bilateral cooperation. I see the interest in the development of football in India and the quite high level of football in India. I know that a number of Russian coaches have already worked [in India].
We discussed with the minister (Anurag Thakur) the possibilities of exchanges at the level of professional teams and at the level of training coaches at our universities, the exchange of specialists and research in football, children's football, mass, professional football and the creation of football infrastructure. This aspect, I'm sure, has very good development potential.
As for a possible transition, indeed, this issue is being discussed now. First of all, I know that the Russian Football Union and representatives of the Russian Premier League are actively cooperating with our colleagues from UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation. As for the final decision, I think all factors will be weighed before the final decision is made.
The most important thing is that athletes have the opportunity to compete and take part in the competition. Maybe that should be at the top of the list. What are the implementation mechanisms? I think that the professional football community is more obvious. We will hear about this decision soon. The state, I repeat, will support the activities of the federation, taking into account the priorities that I mentioned.
Sputnik: Do you think, having a partnership with the Russian Football Union, permitting Russian players to play in India's top domestic tournament, the Indian Super League, and Russian coaches to join Indian football clubs, will help both countries?
Matytsin: I think so. I think that yes, of course.
I believe that in a time of such challenges, in a time of transformation, shall we say, and within the sports community, we must look for new forms of interaction and seek and strengthen cooperation with absolutely all possible partners. This includes Arab countries as well as Asia.
And above all, if we're talking, India, of course. You have to know how to go, shall we say, beyond the boundaries. The traditional notion of development in such a conservative sport, at present, hinders development, so to say. That is why it is necessary to have a dialogue with all sides, and in no way should we close ourselves off, and look for possibilities of partnership in any forms whatsoever.
Sputnik: Russia's gymnasts and wrestlers have been invited to participate in the Asian Games to be held in China this year, enabling them to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. But it is likely that Western countries, as well as Ukraine, may oppose it. Do you think India would back Russian participation in the Asian Games, especially since India, as the Asian Games founder, holds considerable influence in the body?
Matytsin: First of all, we are very grateful to the Olympic Council of Asia for the proposal, which was expressed and supported by almost all federations, National Olympic Committees and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), on the participation of Russian athletes in the Asian Games, which will be held in Hangzhou, China.
At the moment, as far as I know, we are discussing the details and technical regulations for each sport. And I hope that this project will be implemented despite, I repeat, the pressure from state structures and the decision by the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia.
We believe it is absolutely unacceptable for states to interfere so malignantly and aggressively. And today we see that all of us together, both federations and states, must safeguard true values and help the International Olympic Committee to defend these positions of independence.
Because if it happens, it is not even a question of whether Russia or Belarus participates or not. Our countries are self-sufficient with enormous sports, administrative and financial resources, and we are going to preserve the system.
But, I repeat, if the threats and the impact of the boycotting countries succeed, it will endanger the existence of the principles of the Olympic movement and the independence of the International Olympic Committee.
That is why this step - the invitation to the Asian Games - is very positive. As well as the steps taken by many federations that have now allowed Russians to compete. These are the boxing federations. I have just mentioned the International Fencing Federation, and a number of other federations.
The trend is positive and I am confident that it will eventually prevail in the decision of all other sports federations and the International Olympic Committee in general regarding the participation of our athletes in the Olympic Games.
Sputnik: In 2003, India organized the Afro-Asian Games featuring athletes from Asia and Africa - the only event where athletes from these two continents came together for one event, excluding the Olympic Games. Do you think India and Russia need a similar event comprising athletes from South and South East Asia and central Asian countries and Russia?
Matytsin: I said earlier today that [nowadays] we are in a period of world development, of civilization, I dare say, when we should not be afraid to propose new forms of cooperation.
For example, last year, we held a series of open tournaments in Russia, inviting countries from different continents, giving people an opportunity to be together, to compete, to share experiences and to validate the true value of sports as a unifying force.
Today, I repeat, this should probably be a priority and the underlying principle when we offer some format of competition. In this case, I see no obstacle for our colleagues from India to organize such competitions and festivals, inviting Asian colleagues and colleagues from Africa, and perhaps from Latin America as well.
The world is moving very fast. We have to respond quickly to the challenges. And as we always say, a time of challenge is an opportunity. We have to seize those opportunities. Do not be afraid, I repeat, to take new steps, not to ruin what we have, but to offer new forms of cooperation. I think it will only be for the good.
Sputnik: As you know, India has a huge territory, and India's population is large, and the different states of India are in different places - southern, northern states. Over the years, India is trying to develop world-class winter sports infrastructure in the country as it has the environment to do so in several Himalayan states, and the northeast region. How can Russian expertise help India in this area?
Sputnik: With respect to the development of sports infrastructure for both winter and summer sports, we believe it is important to understand when such projects are proposed. An understanding of how this infrastructure will be used. Yes, of course we need standards and international standards if we mean the possibility of holding international competitions.
But most importantly, I think that's what the Indian government is all about - to be able to attract more people who live in India to the sport and give them a wide range of choices. Whether it's someone who likes winter sports, or who likes summer sports, or someone who lives in the south, [or] who lives in the north.
However, the infrastructure has to work. As we say, when you host an event, what is the legacy of that event? In this respect, you are absolutely right, Russia has a lot of experience. We have hosted almost all the major competitions: the Sochi Olympics, the [Summer] Universiade in Kazan, the [Winter] Universiade in Krasnoyarsk, the FIFA World Cup, the World Athletics Championships, the World Aquatics Championships. And of course, Russia has the experience of working with international federations and developing modern infrastructure.
The President always says that we are open for dialogue and we are ready to share our experience with our friends and partners. And if such a need arises, of course we are ready to cooperate and share our experience and help, both through expert assessments and by sending specialists.
Sputnik: Our Indian readers of Sputnik are, of course, very interested in what's going on in sports. There are many sports fans among them. What would you wish for them? Both those who only watch sports on TV and those who actively participate in sports, what would you wish them?
Minister: First of all, sports is very good for your health. So I wish you health, I wish you to be active in sports. For those who are still watching television, make a decision and start doing sports actively, especially since India has all the facilities.
Because sport is not just physical health, it is mental health, it is an opportunity to overcome difficult situations in life. It is a very good opportunity for socialization, for real, not virtual, communication. And as we say in Russia, we have a project called "Sports Are the Way of Life". I hope that sports will become a norm in the life in India.
