Vladimir Putin in Kazan: Here people know what sport is, love it and know how to organize events’
About how Putin talked about hockey, opened the European Judo Championships and estimated a new building of the Arbitration Court in Kazan
Putin and Kazan
The landing of the board No.1 in Kazan was almost a false start. Some newspapers informed one hour before the landing (at 1.30 p.m. to be more precise) about the arrival of a plane of a special summer team called Russia. Then the news was deleted. It seems that journalists thought that the high-ranking guest arrived but the Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin and Governor of Moscow Oblast Andrey Vorobyov landed instead.
In fact, the Presidential board landed in Kazan at about 2.40 p.m. on Friday, 22 April. Kazan was ready to welcome the high-ranking guest. In the morning, the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov together with the plenipotentiary envoy to the Volga Federal District Mikhail Babich and the PM of Tatarstan Ildar Khalikov managed to visit Chelny where they opened the first Haier factory in Russia.
Judokas had been competing on tatamis at Tatneft Arena since Thursday. The city was waiting for Putin. Quickly washed Vishnevskogo Street and the Millenium Bridge and a surprising number of police workers on the streets demonstrated it. The base of Ak Bars HC in Gorky Park, where the Council for Sport took place, was cordoned off. Meanwhile, Putin 'was slier again', as people tell jokes on the Internet, and arrived one hour later.
Putin and hockey
The Council for Physical Culture and Sport where Putin and his subordinated talked about the preparation of Russia for 2016 IIHF World Championship and 2018 Winter Olympics was the first point of the visit to Kazan.
It is interesting that the Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation Vitaly Mutko was present in the event, though in the morning journalists were told that his visit was postponed until Saturday. But a person who did not come was Arkady Dvorkovich, the Vice-PM. The head of the Olympic Committee of Russia Aleksander Zhukov had to carry the can instead of him when they visited Volga Region State Academy of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism.
Naturally, hockey was the main topic at the base of Ak Bars. To tell the truth, general problems were discussed, Tatarstan's hockey was not mentioned. Rustam Minnikhanov also visited the event. But he did not take his opportunity to deliver a speech after Putin's opening remarks and the head of the Russian Hockey Federation Arkady Rotenberg's report.
In the beginning, Putin noticed that Moscow and St. Petersburg were ready for the Mundial. But the national team of the country has never won the gold in the Olympics, so that the Games in 2018 in Korea are a great opportunity to fill the gaps.
Putin also advised to attract less foreign players to Russian clubs and educate our own hockey players instead. A he asked to pay a special attention to talented children from needy families. He addressed the State Duma and asked to adopt the Law on Professional Sport quicker, so that team sponsors won't have a stimulus to measure their money.
Putin also mentioned that he would not be able to open the 2016 World Championship in Moscow because he would be in Sochi. The PM Dmitry Medvedev will do it instead.
Putin and Rotenberg
Then the head of the Russian Hockey Federation Arkady Rotenberg took the floor. He stated that Russia needs at least 50 sports venues and 100 schools. A chain of Centres of Olympic Preparation is needed to develop hockey. Rotenberg added that companies that are ready to invest in the reconstruction of buildings for mass sports can count on privileges.
He also talked about coaches' salaries. According to him, hockey coaches earn less than teachers. So, clubs even have to pay them additionally. 'But efforts are to be combined on this issue in the whole country,' Rotenberg noted.
Boris Mikhailov, an ex-hockey player and coach, took the floor too. He asked the President of the country to return the importance to the title of the Champion of Russia. 'The KHL Championship consists of two parts – 'soft' and playoff, and practically there is no fight for the title of the Champion of Russia, which is, in my view, is wrong, the importance (of the title) is lost,' Mikhailov stated.
Vladimir Putin: 'I would like to express a special gratitude to Kazan and Tatarstan for the organization of this sports event. Here people know what sport is, love it and know to organize such large events'
Putin and judo
Tatneft Arena where the President of Russia officially opened the European Championships was the next stop of the official delegation.
'I would like to express a special gratitude to Kazan and Tatarstan for the organization of this sports event. Here people know what sport is, love it and know to organize such large events,' Putin noted in his speech.
Undoubtedly, he spoke about very judo: 'Spectacle and richness of its techniques make it a really attractive sport. The philosophy of this martial art based on the harmony of the spirit and body teaches courage, stamina, respect towards a rival, determination in the achievement of set tasks, educates a real fighting character'.
'I declare the 2016 European Judo Championships in Kazan open!' were the main words of the President of Russia for the athletes participating in the contest.
Putin and Arbitration Court
In the evening, Putin accompanied by Babich, Minnikhanov and the chairman of the Arbitration Court of Tatarstan Nikolai Novikov had a look at the new building of the Arbitration Court of the Republic of Tatarstan, according to the press service of the Kazan Kremlin. Realnoe Vremya wrote about Putin's possible visit.
Novikov showed the new building to the guests, told about the work of the department, demonstrated the public zone, courtrooms and other workrooms. He also informed that the courtrooms were equipped with modern equipment that allows to hold courts using video conferences and record videos. The President of Russia acquainted with the work of the terminal that receives applications.
