PERM, October 19. /TASS/. Western countries’ attempts to leave the Russian sports in isolation have failed, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said on Thursday.
"They are unable to reproach us for failing to implement our obligations or being caught in an unfair competition," the deputy premier said at the 11th International Forum 'Russia - Country of Sports' hosted by the Russian city of Perm this week.
"Some of them shamefully avoid eye contact; some of them continue cooperating with us. The froth will subside and the time will put everything in place. The most important issue is a respectful treatment of our national athletes’ merits," Chernyshenko, who oversees issues of sports, culture and tourism in the Russian government, stated.
"The fact that the collective West has lost in this fight is not the reason to relax and begin doing nothing," the deputy premier added.
The International Sports Forum 'Russia - Country of Sports' has been organized in various cities across Russia since 2009. This year the forum is hosted by Perm, the country’s second-largest city in the Urals, between October 19 and 22.