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Russia’s Kazan still set to host of 2028 European Aquatics Championship

Vladimir Leonov, the sports minister of the Russian republic of Tatarstan, stressed that the Russian Republic of Tatarstan maintains partnership relations both with the World Aquatics and the European Aquatics federations

KAZAN, December 23. /TASS/. The Russian city of Kazan still plans to host the European Aquatics Championship in 2028, Vladimir Leonov, the sports minister of the Russian republic of Tatarstan, confirmed on Tuesday.

"The calendar of the European Aquatics federation for 2028 still lists Kazan as the venue of the European Aquatics Championships," Leonov said at the Russian regional ministry’s year-end press briefing. "These are contractual obligations, no one is moving the championship anywhere, we are on the schedule, we will look at the dynamics and prepare for the championship."

The sports official stressed that the Russian Republic of Tatarstan maintains partnership relations both with the World Aquatics and the European Aquatics federations.

Leonov noted that Kazan is ready to host the European swimming competition. According to him, one of the main conditions is "the trend regarding the return of international tournaments to our country."

In February 2024, Leonov told TASS that he was in discussions with Antonio Silva, the president of European Aquatics (LEN), about this issue, and that an official proposal had been made to hold the 2028 European Aquatics Championship in Kazan.

Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, was originally chosen to host the 2024 European Aquatics Championship this summer, but the event was relocated to Belgrade.

The LEN European Aquatics Championship is held biennially and includes competitions in swimming (long course/50-meter pool), diving, synchronized swimming, open water swimming, and high diving. The 2026 European Aquatics Championship will be held in Paris, France.

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