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On October 17, a meeting of the Russian Presidential Committee for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports was held in Ufa. As Kommersant correspondent Andrei Kolesnikov reported, Vladimir Putin criticized the work of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and spoke very harshly about the "co-financing" system that forces parents to attend sports schools. They agree on the opinions of the most authoritative members of the councils and increasingly agree with each other on who should head the ROC.
Of course, the council members waited a long time for the work to begin. And Vladimir Putin did not fly to Ufa in the morning, and a huge number of events took place in Ufa.
On the other hand, prominent members of Congress had something to work on. Thus, Mikhail Mamiashvili was photographed in front of his sculpture at the entrance to the Palace of Wrestling. And who said he didn’t deserve it? Or even she.
The palace is undoubtedly truly magnificent. If the head of Bashkiria, Radiy Khabirov, had not been a wrestler, the chances of building such a wrestling palace would probably have been even smaller. (Not to mention another great son of the Bashkir people, sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov), who took part in the "sculpture" of the palace - sambo wrestlers). On the other hand, although he was not a fencer, he opened a fencing palace in Ufa.
When the meeting finally began (it was already after 10 p.m. in Ufa), it seemed that the enthusiasm of the participants, including Vladimir Putin, had already been reduced to zero. But this did not happen.
At first, few people (except those who needed to) paid attention to the fact that President Vladimir Putin actually criticized the activities of the Russian Olympic Committee.
"Despite all the known problems, the activities of the Russian Olympic Committee also require adjustments. It is important to strengthen efforts through international cooperation, work with all interested partners, conduct creative and meaningful educational activities to promote universal values. Sports, especially among young people.
It is important to understand that no such work is currently being carried out. And the adjustment required by the Russian Orthodox Church is, first of all, a change in organizational leadership.
And it is clear that the emergence of a new leadership is President Putin's own idea, or at least an idea that he has previously supported.
In addition, in his opening speech, Vladimir Putin resolutely defended the interests of children in sports. As it turns out, children are offended.
"Russian families, experts and independent investigations are talking about the problems here," the president said. "Even in officially free zones and educational centers, parents are forced to spend significant amounts of money on equipment for children, renting playgrounds and paying for sports activities." I do this, he said. Fees and commissions for participation in competitions - this also includes cases of children receiving sports ranks and titles.
He spoke confidently because the topic was close to him.
- Of course, in modern conditions, in the environment in which we live, in a number of cases citizens and their families should and can also participate in this joint financing. But moderation is needed in everything! Sometimes there is no solution!.. - Vladimir Putin interrupted himself mid-sentence. - They cannot find the edge.
Nevertheless, he decided to revise the literary Russian language.
- And they don’t feel it!
— The people I talk to, our athletes, outstanding hockey players (well, there's not much choice: Vladislav Tretyak or Vyacheslav Fetisov or a few more. — AK) bitterly tell me: Don't come for a tackle, I didn't pay for the so-called tackle. That's all. I can't get on the site!
In hockey, teeing is an extra activity to improve skating and stick handling skills. And schools charge extra for the extra lessons.
This angered Vladimir Putin, and not everyone still understood the scale of it.
— I say. What if everyone was interested in seeing the results? — the President continued. — Yes, they are interested, but they are more interested in getting paid for the gear and not being allowed onto the court. That's all!
A monologue followed, after which the world was never the same. This means that the pick-up line will not be paid.
- You see, when I look at this... This is just an example. This happens in many federations. Let me be honest. At one time, when I was actively involved in sports, if I had to pay all these costs, I would never have fulfilled the standard of the USSR Master of Sports in sambo and would never have achieved it. I fulfilled the standard of the USSR Master of Sports in judo. This is not as big an achievement as the achievement of many people here in this room... Master of Soviet Sports - well... - Vladimir Putin still has doubts. - But if I did it, I would not meet this criterion. In some cases today you have to pay for everything! Our family did not need any additional costs to pay for everything! We must approach this issue accordingly.
I think he said it all. But no:
— Children from low-income and large families should not have so-called donations. This cannot happen! Especially if it meets the standards and grades! I talked to representatives of the sports department. "Well, we don't have enough money to do everything." You have to set your priorities right! If men want to do sports, they need to do something, and it should all be free!
This may be nonsense. Standard match - yes, it's definitely free, but now you can think about the rest.
Then came a long report by Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev, which seemed to cause great trouble, first and foremost, to the Minister himself. He seemed to have such trouble pronouncing his words that he fell asleep (but seemed to have managed to calm two people in the audience) or was struggling with his desire to make everyone understand. Don't listen to me. I have it all. It's not interesting at all. Mikhail Degtyarev, with some laziness, seemed to be making great efforts to finish a sentence that he thought had no height of meaning. But he finished the sentence and, unfortunately, began to say something new.
Or this style. On the other hand, thanks to the laziness of his voice and character, Mikhail Degtyarev eventually became the master. In the story with Furgal, the entire Khabarovsk people are pacified, and from Vladimir Putin's point of view, this is clearly very serious courage. Show yourself in service and other areas.
Meanwhile, the meeting actually began when everyone who was supposed to speak was present, and the president asked if there was anyone else there. There were some willing.
And then a rather interesting chain of events began to emerge.
First, they asked legendary tennis coach Shamil Tarpischev to speak. He is an authority you should listen to, or rather, obey.
- I want to emphasize that any star becomes popular. As a result, people follow certain stars in sports! - he emphasized. - And public participation inevitably gives birth to new stars. This chain is impossible to break!
And who will argue? The statement was not as banal as it seemed in the heat of the moment. It was not for nothing that Mr. Tarpischev said this. The absence of athletes at international competitions breaks the chain, if someone does not understand.
— I... — Shamil Tarpischev hesitated. “Without bragging, I can express my gratitude to Vladimir Vladimirovich (Mr. Putin – A.K.) for giving me the opportunity to participate, for example, in international sports competitions... Considering that it was possible, the Olympic Games.
Now he was treading on thin ice. Tennis players were the largest group to take part in the Paris Olympics. And it cannot be said that there were no results (silver was won). And most importantly, the athletes had four years to live between one Olympics and the next. They were involved. Mr. Tarpischev, unlike his colleagues, seems to understand this very well.
He continued: "This year, 988 tennis players from 99 countries took part and won 571 international tournaments. This is also an element of Russia's image and it must be somehow included in the program. "Because here we will suffer the greatest losses," he said. Because of this, we do not have a high-level competition program. However, young people can only grow through competition and should not fail and enter the international arena.
But these were not the only words that Shamil Tarpishchev asked for.
"Now, it seems, a new stage has come in the development of sports, and perhaps it is time to intensify our efforts to manage sports activities," he said, suddenly giving high marks. It became necessary to consider the possibility of nominating the Minister of Sports Degtyarev Mikhail Vladimirovich as a candidate for the post of president of the National Olympic Committee.
This will provide opportunities for development and optimization in solving all the tasks that you set for us. There are many of them and perhaps sports power on the one hand will help us work more effectively and create for the benefit of our Motherland.
I felt someone's skillful hand here. It is not easy to choose who will propose the candidacy of Mikhail Degtyarev (A.K., not to mention the candidate himself), but in the case of Shamil Tarpishchev no questions arise.
Well, it’s as if Valentina Tereshkova suddenly proposed to reset all of Vladimir Putin’s previous presidential terms.
"The fact that tennis players perform at the highest level and really please Russian fans confirms the high level of the Russian tennis school," said Vladimir Putin, supporting Shamil Tarpishchev (and this is important not only for Shamil Tarpishchev). Of course, thank you for your contribution.
He commented on the proposal itself and what we should expect if we see “experienced hands” in the scenario unfolding before our eyes.
Of course, he had to agree. Otherwise, Shamil Tarpischev would not have started.
"This proposal does deserve careful consideration," the president said, nodding. "We need to think about it." Perhaps, in today's circumstances, it may be justified.
"Possibly" and "maybe" do not enter here. The face of speech. Everything is decided.
But Vitaly Smirnov asked to speak. And I would risk saying that he is an even more significant figure in Russian and Soviet sports. I will only say that he was one of the main organizers of the 1980 Olympics and a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1971 to 2015, that is, for 44 years (if this pleases someone). And to this day, no one can blame him. No, there are no people willing to do so.
"The head of the Olympic Committee (Russia-AK) has resigned," said Vitaly Smirnov. "I must say that he conscientiously fulfilled his duties and deserves words of gratitude." But I think that the current situation forces him to give way to new people with new opportunities. I support the candidacy of our minister, because it will be very important in the current situation... I am sure that the meeting will give him confidence... That is why we will meet again with the heads of the Olympic Committee (International (IOC)) - AK, especially in March I talked with the people who came not only with the president and heads of state structures, but also with ministers and officials, and I was able to understand who communicates. And who expresses a point of view (let me tremble. - A.K.). So strengthening this position, so to speak, will help us communicate and resolve those issues, the issues that you raise with us.
Well, it materialized.
- Vitaly Georgievich, you are a very experienced person, you are still the honorary president of the Russian Olympic Committee and an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee. How was this work organized between the administrative bodies and the National Olympic Committee in the Soviet Union? - asked the President.
This is really interesting. And who can tell about it?
This statement can be called bold. Because it is very interesting how one of the highest civil servants of the country, the Minister of Sports, maintains autonomy, holding both positions. The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will help him. Mikhail Degtyarev will have to fight for autonomy himself. within himself. And this will be a fight for survival.
"In Soviet times, the Olympic Committee existed on paper." Meanwhile, the great and noble man responded to the President. "It was a separate room... In general, Comrade Stalin gave the order to create the Olympic Committee in 1951! In 1952, we participated in the Olympic Games. The government's decision was to recommend that the vice-president of the Olympic Committee allocate one room and two employees. And so it has been for 40 years! And only in 1990, the Soviet government finally made the following decision: The Olympic Committee's withdrawal from the National Sports Council. Then the committee was created, there was a corresponding law, we received a building, we received land for this building, and the Olympic Committee, on this basis, began to implement programs and events. So, of course, I think that everything is very clear here. The Olympic Committee must continue its work, and it must do so in those countries where it is currently doing so.
A decision was made to essentially return R&D to the state. Or Mikhail Degtyarev really does have a split personality.
Vitaly Smirnov made it clear that he encourages these incredible opportunities.
— I would say that we talk a lot about internal development. Of course, I would like to raise the issue in the Council that all heads of the federation also participate in “international” issues, because in practice it is difficult. “One,” he admitted.
Well, if he wanted to surprise those present (and at least Shamil Tarpishchev), he succeeded. Some people were surprised.
"In today's boxing, we see flags, chants and speeches everywhere. And in professional boxing, they defended it. All the fighters unanimously said that if you ban us, we will all leave the Professional Boxing Association. Anthem "B". We developed this position, and today every professional organization has both a flag and an anthem, and athletes perform everywhere!.. And, of course, we hope that everyone who heads the federation, and everyone who heads it, will do the same. We need to make a lot of effort in this direction, because if we all unite in this direction, they will not be able to hold us back, because Russia is a sports superpower, without a flag and an anthem. Because it does not exist!
It seems that this was a hint, especially at the Olympics, where Russian athletes took a neutral position, and in the case of Umar Kremlev, it must be said that he participated with the blessing of President Putin. Shamil Tarpischev was grateful to him for this.
"It would be incomprehensible if people traveled today without flags and chants!" exclaimed Umar Kremlev. "Someone gives their life for the flag and the anthem (is this comparable to the Northern Military District? - AK), and someone goes to perform without a flag and anthem!"
— We must also have some kind of difficult internal situation among the responsible leaders of the Federation! The Ministry of Sports recognized us, and the country trusted us. We must justify this trust and must defend our flag and country on the international arena! Take, for example, these Olympic Games. (Yes, I have already said this myself. -AK)! Boxers... it was not me, it was the boxers themselves... stood up and declared their position a year before the Olympics, saying that they would not go without flags and chants! I hope that my colleagues and representatives of other sports will be treated the same way. Because this is actually a big problem for us when we start saying: Yes, now is the time. Let them go and be around when everything is okay. Everything is okay without us!
Yes, he really was unstoppable.
- And in times like these, it is time for us to show our position and protect and defend the honor of our country. Why am I saying this? Today, only one sport proves this: boxing, and now federations are joining it. I would like, perhaps, within the framework of the world, for Vladimir Vladimirovich to assign work on the international arena to the heads of federations or for the Ministry of Sports to supervise it. Thus, there is responsibility between federations for what they do on the international arena.
For example, the same Russian Fencing Federation also boycotted even the Olympic qualifying competitions and was not alone in this. sport), but, obviously, this is not the issue now.
Umar Kremlev made a beautiful suggestion: “When there are many of us, of course, they won’t be able to dictate any rules to us, and of course, we will perform everywhere under the flag and anthem.”
Vladimir Putin nodded, saying, "Umar Nazarovich, you are doing well," and gave the impression that he wanted to somehow calm and cheer up the angry Umar Kremlev. "This is a good example." You will share with your colleagues how to do this. In today's conditions, this is not easy. We need to take your experience into account. agree
Here Umar Kremlev decided to add and return the word (but it was unnecessary).
- How hard it is to be alone! "It's hard for one federation to do this," he said, sighing. "Today we sit here and box there." For example, our Muslim Gadzimagomedov is now boxing with the Germans. They all participate in international tournaments, and we host them in Russia! You're okay!
"I know. I said you could do it," President Putin added irritably.
And he asked Mikhail Degtyarev what he thought about Shamil Tarpishchev’s proposal.
— Let's start with the current chairman of the Olympic Committee. Stanislav Alekseevich Pozdnyakov is a great athlete and champion, we respect him very much. He has the opportunity to lead the Olympic Committee at a very difficult time, and I would like to express to him the respect of the entire sports community. I am seriously considering Shamil Anvyarovich's proposal from the point of view of the Olympic Charter. It allows national Olympic committees to elect representatives of state bodies at the Olympic Games.
This was important. There is a legal opportunity! And it should be used.
"According to Russian law, you need to get permission to run for president," said Mikhail Degyarev, adding: "So if you allow me, I am ready to run."
Well, it was beautiful in its own way. The scenario was approaching its climax.
Mikhail Degtyarev said: "Of course, I fully agree with what Vitaly Georgievich (Mr. Smirnov – A.K.) said about the autonomy of the Olympic Committee. It must be preserved in any case. And of course, this should not be done and we will not do it the way they did under Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin... maybe...
No, he wasn't sure we wouldn't do it. After all, President Vladimir Putin hadn't said the last word yet.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich, if you allow me…” Mikhail Degyarev finally asked simply.
"I will tell you now what I think about this," President Vladimir Putin said confidently and immediately. National Olympic Committees will consist of one person and will have more opportunities and powers to communicate with the regions, regulate their work and cooperate more closely with the federations. Therefore, I think that we can support this proposal of Shamil Anvyarovich (Mr. Tarpishchev - A.K.). But at the same time, we must listen to Vitaly Georgievich Smirnov! He is a very experienced person. He has worked for many years in various national sports organizations and international organizations, including the IOC. National Olympic Committees must maintain their indisputable autonomy and independence and, theoretically, be able to withstand any possible external pressure.
Yes, Mikhail Degtyarev is left to his own devices.