SAINT PETERSBURG, June 14. /TASS/. Russian sports will always be a part of the Olympic Movement and will continue to adhere to the principles of Olympism, Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said on Wednesday.

"Russia has always been and will always be a part of the global Olympic Movement," Matytsin said, speaking on the sidelines of the 2023 Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"We have always adhered to the principles of Olympism and we have a confident and victorious future ahead of us. All of this is embodied by our achievements in sports," the Russian sports minister added.

The minister also said that Russian sports have a glorious past and a bright future despite all the external difficulties.

"National sports have a victorious past and I believe that we have a confident future despite all the difficulties that are created for us from the outside," Matytsin said. "I am positive that we, including state and public organizations, will overcome all difficulties."

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

At its session on January 25, 2023, the IOC Executive Board put forward a proposal to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status.

The 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) — Russia’s showcase annual economic and business event — is being held on June 14-17. The theme of this year’s forum is: "Sovereign Development as the Basis of a Just World: Joining Forces for Future Generations." TASS is the official information partner of the event.

SPIEF’s expanded business program offers attendees the opportunity to participate in more than 140 sessions featuring over 1,000 moderators and speakers, according to event organizer Roscongress Foundation.

The business program is divided into five thematic blocks: "The World Economy at a Global Turning Point," "The Russian Economy: From Adaptation to Growth," "Building Technological Sovereignty," "The Labor Market: A Response to the New Challenges," as well as "Protecting the Population and Quality of Life as the Main Priority.".