President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good
afternoon, colleagues.

Mr Dmitry Chernyshenko and I have
just opened five new sports facilities in several Russian regions on the sidelines of the Russia – Country of Sports Forum. They are located in the Bryansk,
Kaluga, Magadan, Tyumen and Ulyanovsk regions.

During today’s meeting, we will
focus on developing sports infrastructure around the country, in the regions,
primarily those for promoting sports for the public.

It is obvious that the availability
of these sports facilities, their quality and diversity have a direct bearing
on the quality of life and health for millions of people and they enable people
to exercise regularly. This infrastructure is also essential when it comes to creating incentives for people to practice sports and choose an active
lifestyle and, even more importantly, a healthy life.

We have regular discussions on these
matters and have emphasised its importance at the federal and regional levels,
which has been yielding tangible results.

Over the past four years, the number
of Russians who exercise regularly has increased from 40 to 53 percent, which
amounts to almost 70 million people. This way, we can be sure to achieve our
objectives. In 2024, 55 percent of people in Russia will exercise regularly and adopt a sports lifestyle, and by 2030 this percentage will have reached 70
percent, which is our stated objective.

Let me remind you that these are the benchmarks we have adopted in order to measure the performance of the relevant
federal agencies, regions and municipalities in their efforts to promote public
sports.

In order to deliver on this
comprehensive task in full and without any reservations, we need to ensure the steady development of sports infrastructure across all regions of Russia. Of course, we must provide for a serious increase in the production of Russia
sports goods and equipment.

The council working group has come
forward with a proposal to establish sports manufacturing clusters for that by bringing together, within specific platforms, research and manufacturing
capabilities and raising both public and private funding. I expect to hear
about this in more detail today from our colleagues. You are welcome to outline
specific measures to support companies in this sector in terms of funding and possible sources of funding. We need to work all this out so that the Strategy
for Developing the Sports Sector through 2035 can be supplemented accordingly.

Regarding sports infrastructure, the issue at hand is even more daunting and complex. The number of sports
facilities is on the rise, with over 353,000 today.

I would like to separately thank the heads of the regions who are upgrading and building stadiums and athletic
grounds not only in their regions, but are actively helping to restore sports
facilities in Donbass and Novorossiya.

I reiterate that this work should
continue in all regions, cities, towns, and rural areas. Extra attention should
be paid to using public spaces and city parks for sports activities. All the more so as this does not necessarily require massive construction projects.
Simple measures such as installing exercise equipment or setting up well-lit
ski trails or running tracks can make a significant difference.

We have guidelines for building flat
structures and versatile non-capital complexes. These guidelines should be
formally integrated into urban planning standards. This would compel local
authorities and developers to create accessible sports facilities in courtyards, parks, green spaces, and waterfront areas for people of all ages
and fitness levels, including families.

Particular attention should be paid
to rural areas. I issued instructions earlier to develop a special “Sports in the Countryside” subprogramme and make it part of the existing national programme,
Development of Physical Fitness and Sports.

Regrettably, such a document has yet to be
officially adopted. A distinct sports section, not just a collection of activities but a comprehensive section, project, or programme, is still missing
from our plans for the development of community facilities and infrastructure
in the countryside. It is imperative to understand the underlying reasons for this and, more importantly, to determine when the issue will be resolved substantively,
rather than in reports and presentations.

Overall, I suggest that today we
evaluate the progress in implementing the decisions related to sports
infrastructure that were made during our council’s meetings. I am primarily
referring to repairs and maintenance of the facilities that are used for mass
sports and the establishment of favourable conditions in Russia for the training of our national teams.

According to the Audit Chamber’s
report, 16 out of 53 Olympic sports, including skiing, rowing, cycling, and football, still lack their own training centres. Clearly, there have been
delays in addressing this matter. I urge the Government to provide information about
the steps being taken to ensure that all directives are executed with high
quality and within the specified deadlines.

I reiterate that sports are a top national
priority, and the approach to this sector should match its significance. This
is especially true given the substantial funds allocated for supporting and advancing
sports. In 2022, sports-related spending across all levels of budgets increased
by 23 percent on the previous year, reaching a total of 537 billion rubles.
This figure does not even include contributions from the private sector and our
sports philantropists.

I urge the Government to explore
additional measures for implementing concession-based approaches in sports and expanding the practice of public-private partnerships, especially when developing
and operating sports facilities, including non- capital structures.

There is also room for enhancing the efficiency of target allocations from sports betting and raffles that are used
for promoting sports. These funds are sent to promote children’s, youth, public
and professional sports. It is important to make every ruble count. I am aware
that there are questions in this regard, and we will address them today. I am interested
to hear what you have to say.

We should also look into the way
allocations from lotteries are being used, as I mentioned earlier. I will not
delve into the specifics at this point, as I understand that some participants
would like to share their thoughts on this issue, so please let’s have that
discussion.

To be
continued.