Rustam Minnikhanov: Tatarstan will do its utmost to host the Special Winter Olympics at the highest level

On February 5, during his working visit to Moscow, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov took part in the meeting held by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2022 in Kazan.

Speaking at the meeting Chernyshenko emphasized that the Special Olympics World Winter Games is a unique opportunity to draw public attention to people with disabilities, to create better conditions for them, both in sports arenas and in everyday life. “The organizing committee is responsible for Russia's obligations to host the Games in Kazan at the highest organizational level in accordance with the requirements of the international Special Olympics,” he said.

Chernyshenko noted that Tatarstan has vast experience in organizing major international competitions. “There is no doubt that the republic will do its best. Kazan is known for its highly qualified and trained staff who have successfully implemented many projects, many volunteer centres and excellent infrastructure. Therefore, we expect to hold the banner of Russian sports in the international arena as high as it was before,” the head of the organizing committee stressed.

Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Igor Levitin, who is on a working visit in Kazan, took part in the meeting via video link. Levitin noted the importance of training the staff to work with people with disabilities, as well as to organize awareness-raising activities.

Minnikhanov stressed that Special Olympics will contribute to the development of winter sports and social adaptation of people with disabilities. The full text of the speech of Tatarstan President is given below:

First of all, I would like to thank our President Vladimir Putin and the Government of the Russian Federation for the unique opportunity to host the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2022 in Kazan. It is a great honour for us and your support is invaluable.

Today Tatarstan is not just a dynamically developing region, but also a centre of attraction for the world's largest sports events. Over the past 10 years, Kazan has hosted large-scale competitions, which, according to the unanimous assessment of the international community, guests and participants, were organized at the highest level.

Hosting the Special Olympics World Winter Games is a great responsibility for us. For the first time, we are holding an international competition for people with intellectual disabilities.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games are a big breakthrough in the development of winter sports, an incentive to attract the largest winter international competitions to our republic.

We will offer our participants and guests excellent sports facilities, a well-developed infrastructure and, of course, our most famous asset - hospitality and cordiality. Along with comfortable conditions of stay, we will create an unforgettable holiday, as well as offer an extensive cultural and excursion programmes.

Today work to prepare for the Olympics is underway. The regional Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of the World Winter Games has been set up; its first meeting took place on January 26. The Ministry of Sports of the Republic and the Directorate of Sports and Social Projects is coordinating the preparation process.

We guarantee that Tatarstan will do its best to host the Special Olympics World Winter Games at the highest level. Most importantly, it is the intangible legacy of Special Olympics. Competition will undoubtedly serve as a springboard to the formation of an inclusive culture and social justice. Thanks to the 2022 Games, we will be able to draw public attention to the needs of people with disabilities and intellectual disabilities.

I am sure that the Games will make a huge contribution to creating conditions for people with disabilities to become full-fledged members of society and serve the interests of the whole of Russia.

Welcome to Kazan!

Special Olympics is a worldwide movement dedicated to health and fitness activities and competitions for people with intellectual disabilities. The first International Special Olympics Games were held in 1968 in the United States. Over the years, more than 3 million people from 180 countries have become participants in the special Olympic movement. The programme of the Winter Games in Kazan includes 7 sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, snowboarding, snowshoeing, speed skating (short track) and floorball. Competitions will be held at 5 sports facilities.