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Kazan boasts necessary sports facilities to host BRICS Winter Games — mayor

Ilsur Metshin also noted that additional facilities would be prepared depending on the number and variety of athletic events

KAZAN, January 17. /TASS/. Kazan, the capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan, is ready to hold the BRICS Winter Games if given the opportunity, as the city boasts all the necessary facilities to hold competitions, Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin told TASS on Friday.

Tatarstan Minister of Sports Vladimir Leonov announced earlier that the republic was mulling putting in a bid to host the BRICS Winter Games in Kazan, adding that the ministry was set to discuss this issue in detail with federal bodies later in the year.

"We are ready [to host the BRICS Winter Games] and will be very happy to do it," Metshin said speaking to TASS. "Our sports infrastructure facilities fully comply with international standards."

The city’s mayor also added that additional facilities would be prepared depending on the number and variety of athletic events.

"There will be work to do in case such a decision is made," Metshin said. "On the whole, we are ready to host the whole world, as our experience hosting the [2024] BRICS Summit shows."

Last summer, Kazan hosted the 2024 BRICS Games (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). They were held in the capital of Tatarstan between June 12 to 23 and featured competitions in 27 different sports. The BRICS Games are an annual multi-sport tournament organized by the country holding the rotating chair of the association.

For the first time, athletes from countries beyond the BRICS member states participated in last year’s event in Kazan. In total, athletes from over 80 countries took part in the 2024 BRICS Games last summer.

The 16th BRICS Summit, which was the keystone event of Russia’s chairmanship in the association, was held in Kazan on October 22-24 of last year. The BRICS group was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining it in 2011.

On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates became full-fledged members of the organization. On the same day, Russia assumed one-year rotating chairmanship of BRICS.