2013 SU Update: Russia’s Sports Managers get familiar with Kazan 2013 Legacy

KAZAN – Investment attractiveness and legacy of large multi-sports competitions similar to the 27th Summer Universiade was discussed at a Sochi-Kazan videoconference.

The participants on Tatarstan’s side at the videoconference were Head of the Department of Health Care, Sports and Healthy Lifestyle of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan Boris Mendelevich, Deputy Ministers of Youth, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan Sergey Ivanov and Khalil Shaikhutdinov, 1st Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate Azat Kadyrov, Rector of the Volga Region State Academy of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism Yusup Yakubov. On the side ofSochi the videoconference was attended by sports managers of the Ural, Siberian and Volga Region Federal Districts undergoing professional training at the Russian International Olympic University, as well as executives of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Committee, Director General of the Russian International Olympic University Lev Belousov and officials of the largest international sports federations.

The participants talked about the significance of creating and efficiently using the legacy of large international sporting events. In particular, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism of theRepublicofTatarstan Sergey Ivanovshared Tatarstan’s experience of managing such events and their impact on development of youth policy and sports. «Today we can say that the preparations for the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan became a strong incentive for investments into development of universities’ sports facilities and equipment, for mobilizing material, intellectual and organizational resources, for establishing a close cooperation of state, public structures and businesses.»

He stressed the huge role the Volga Region Academy of Physical Culture and Sports (it welcomed its first student this September) played in university sports development inRussia. Among the key elements of the Kazan 2013 legacy the Deputy Minister named sports venues the ownership of which had been handed over to universities and institutes of Kazan, volunteer movement’s dynamic development and positioning of the capital of Tatarstan as the modern international sports centre, which is solidified by hosting 50 test events in a two-year period prior to the start of the Games 2013.

For his part, 1st Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate Azat Kadyrov drew the attention of his colleagues to the fact that the Universiade inKazanwill be held 40 years after thefirst WorldUniversityGames inRussiawere hosted byMoscowin 1973. «The Universiade will become the first multi-sports event in the history of modernRussia, it will trigger off a chain of large international events, the hosting of which our country is entrusted with. Apart from constructing sports venues, Kazan’s urban and transport infrastructure is being developed, large-scale education projects of training qualified personnel for the Games 2013 and courses providing English language training for potential Kazan 2013 volunteers and citizens of Kazan are soon to be implemented. The ‘English 4U’-project is already carried out by volunteers, later on a series of English language-teaching TV programs will be created to educate other citizens ofKazanas well. At the same time the key mechanism of training volunteers for the Universiade lies in internship at international sporting events, including the Universiades in Belgrade, Erzurum, Shenzhen, Youth Olympic Games, etc.», said Azat Kadyrov.

He also gave a review of the FISU Flag Relay’s project held under the motto ‘Universiade in Your City!’ and the Kazan 2013 Ambassador program that were implemented by the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate and were designed to promote the ideas of the 27th Summer Universiade in Kazan. Sergey Ivanov stated that an extended network of sports infrastructure and, as a consequence, venues’ accessibility to all social groups had sparkedKazancitizens’ interest in playing sports. Pupils of children and youth sports schools use the Universiade venues’ equipment free of charge, and citizens are given free access to sports facilities at specially allocated periods of time. «The venues’ attendance analysis gives evidence of both a qualitative and quantitative change in people’s attitude towards sports and a healthy lifestyle. Over 33% of young people are actively involved in playing sports at the venues put into operation on the threshold of the 2013 Summer Universiade», Sergey Ivanov said.

At the same time he underlined the necessity of involving foreign companies in running sports venues, as they would be able to offer the Kazan 2013 organizers consultations on their efficient use. It’s noteworthy that the Volga Region State Academy of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism has already started the training program for sports managers and coaches. «Our teams are coached by local experts. It’s the key to Tatarstan athletes’ success», said Khalil Shaikhutdinov.

When asked what the recipe for Tatarstan’s sports success was, Boris Mendelevich stressed the role of systematic combination of state programs, elaborated managerial decisions aimed to develop grassroots and elite sports, as well as financial and ideological support of sports. A public-private partnership that was acknowledged as a promising area of sports industry development manifests itself in implementing the state policy in the field of sports.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)