MINSK, 9 February (BelTA) – The Sports and Tourism Ministry should cooperate more closely with sports federations, Maksim Ryzhenkov, First Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration and First Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus, said when summing up the meeting of Belarus' Sports and Tourism Ministry on 9 February, BelTA has learned.
Maksim Ryzhenkov believes that sports public organizations (federations, associations) are good at involving people in doing sports. “While organizing various sports events, the Sports and Tourism ministry should turn to federations for assistance. They can and should help not only with training of high-class sportsmen but with holding of mass sporting events. For example, Minsk Half Marathon would not have taken place and would not have been so popular but for Belarus' Athletic Federation, Maksim Ryzhenkov noted.
He also paid attention to the importance of establishing local sports hierarchy, which was discussed during the meeting. “If we do not build up a local sports hierarchy today, we will not have anyone to rely on tomorrow,” Maksim Ryzhenkov stressed. He also urged to pay attention to the training of coaches in youth sports schools.
Maksim Ryzhenkov urged to pay special attention to the organization of the European Games in 2019. It is wrong to think that it will be the organizing committee of the European Games that will carry the main burden of the preparation of the event, Maksim Ryzhenko said. “The entire sports branch will be involved in the preparation of this large-scale event. Those who work in sports should study foreign languages. Sports venues that will host European Games events should be made friendlier to foreign visitors and contain more information signs,” Maksim Ryzhenkov stressed.
The meeting of the Belarusian Sports and Tourism Ministry on the 2016 results and tasks for 2017 took place at the National Olympic Committee on 9 February. The Sports and Tourism Ministry outlined the main areas of work: preparation for 2017 Summer Delphic Games, 2018 Winter Paralympic games and the Second European Games in 2019. Attention will be also paid to improving of the quality of scientific equipment, raising salaries in the branch, promoting mass sport and developing tourist infrastructure as the country is introducing visa-free entry for a number of countries.
