MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/. Russia will hold all its sports competitions in the country in line with Olympic values, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
"I want to reiterate that next year our country is hosting a number of major sports tournaments, such as the Games of the Future, the BRICS Games and the World Friendship Games," she told journalists. "I would like to stress again that these sports tournaments will be organized based on the principles of Olympism, which we have always backed."
According to the diplomat, Russia is open for sports cooperation "based on the principles of equality, non-discrimination in line with the Olympic spirit and principles."
"We stand for fair and just competitions, for ensuring that all countries without exception enjoy equal access to the full-fledged participation in the Olympic and Paralympic movements," she continued. "We will continue organizing and participating in international competitions based on these principles."
The UN General Assembly earlier passed a resolution which calls on all countries to observe the Olympic truce during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. The resolution was backed by 118 countries, while Russia and Syria abstained.
The 2024 Summer Olympic Games will be hosted by the French capital of Paris between July 26 and August 11.
2024 Games of the Future
The inaugural cybersport Games of the Future will be hosted by the Russian city of Kazan between February 21 and March 3, 2024. They will consist of new disciplines combining advanced technology, the digital environment and physical activity.
The competitions are designed to use cutting-edge developments in cybersports, robotics, both augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR), information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI). The tournament offers $25 million in prize money.
As part of the preparations for the Games of the Future, Russia has organized a series of Phygital Games. The first Phygital Games were held in September 2022 and they were followed by numerous editions until today with the most recent one held in Kazan between October 5 and 22.
2024 BRICS Games
The 2024 BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Games will be hosted by the Russian city of Kazan between June 12 and 23 and will feature events in 25 different sports.
In mid-May, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to submit proposals for organizing and holding the 2024 BRICS Games in Russia.
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin emphasized earlier that the BRICS Games are not meant to rival any other competitions and will not interfere with the international sports calendar.
2024 World Friendship Games
The 2024 World Friendship Games are scheduled to be hosted by the Russian capital of Moscow and the Urals city of Yekaterinburg next year between September 15 and 29.
Late last week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has cautioned National Olympic Committees (NOCs) against participating in the World Friendship Games in Russia next year, as this would violate the global Olympic body’s recommendations.
IOC President Thomas Bach stated on June 22 that "the Russian government was going to hold politicized competitions."
Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed earlier in the year that in 2024, the first Summer World Friendship Games be held in the Russian capital of Moscow. Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin later announced that the BRICS Games and the World Friendship Games have nothing to do with politics and are in no way a condemnation of the IOC.
In mid-November, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) warned that certain sanctions could be in place against international athletes willing to participate in the 2024 World Friendship Games. WADA President Witold Banks said: "The possible participation in those competitions of those who are parties to the WADA Code, may have certain consequences."