These days we are witnessing the destruction of all Olympic values. Sport should unite, not divide. The statement was made today, April 27, in Kazan by Professor Sergey Seyranov, Rector of one of Russia's leading physical education and sports universities, President of the Russian Student Sports Union.
Today the international research and practice conference "Topical Issues of Sport in Building Civil Society and Public Diplomacy" kicked off at the Volga Region University of Sport and Tourism with the participation of representatives of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the BRICS countries. Rector of the Russian University of Sports Sergey Seyranov and Rector of the Belarusian State University Sergey Repkin were the guests of honour of the conference.
"The place where we gathered today is literally revered. The 2013 Universiade which took place here in triumph is the best example of the very public diplomacy we are going to talk about. Sport is not just about athletes. Sport is about dozens of social groups learning to interact with each other and all of them are important parts of civil society. They all form a civic position," said the president of the Russian Students Sports Union.
"Despite the events taking place in the world, we are still convinced that sport should be beyond politics," said Rafis Burganov, rector of Volga Region State University. - Sport should be a uniting factor in sports competitions and educational events, that's why we gathered here today with our colleagues who care about the future of sports in the present situation.
The rector of the Belarusian university was invited not only to speak on the topic of discrimination in sport, but also to share experience and establish long-term relationships between the universities.
It should be recalled that last October in Minsk within the framework of the II International Scientific Congress "Values, traditions and innovations of modern sports" a cooperation agreement was signed between the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture and the Volga Region State University of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism.
"We work very closely with athletes," said Sergei Repkin. - The main coaching potential in Belarus is our graduates, and most of the active athletes are our students. Today's event is especially interesting for us, as we would like to cooperate with the Volga Region University and work out joint solutions to overcome the difficult conditions in which both Russian and Belarusian athletes and everyone who works in the field of physical culture and sport find themselves".
