Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports in Ufa called for solving the problem of commercialization of children’s sports.
The Head of State emphasized that children from large and low-income families should not pay fees in sports sections and admitted that he would not have become a master of sports of the USSR in judo and sambo if in his time he had had to pay throughout:
“Russian families, experts and independent surveys talk about problems here. Even in formally free sections and training centers, parents are forced to spend considerable sums on equipping their children and renting playgrounds, paying sports fees and fees for participating in competitions, including those in which children are awarded categories and sports titles.
Of course, in modern conditions, in the conditions in which we live, citizens and families, in certain cases, should and can also participate in this co-financing. But you have to know moderation in everything. In our country sometimes no one can feel or feel the edges, that’s what it’s all about.
The people I communicate with, our athletes, outstanding hockey players, tell me bitterly: the boy did not come to the “tackle”, he did not pay money for the so-called tackle, that’s all, they don’t do it. I didn’t let him enter the field. I say: what if everyone is interested in seeing results? Yes, they are interested, but they are more interested in getting money for tackles and they are not allowed on the field, so that is it.
You know, when I look at this… This is just an example. This happens in many federations. I’ll tell you honestly: if at some point, when I was actively playing sports, I had to pay for all this, I would never have met the standard of Master of Sports of the Soviet Union in sambo and I would never have met the standard of Master of Sports of the Soviet Union. USSR in judo.
This is not as outstanding an achievement as many here in this room – the Master of Sports of the Soviet Union, well, something like that. But it wouldn’t have met that standard if it had to pay for everything, as is the case today in some cases. My family didn’t have an extra penny to pay for everything. “We need to address this properly.”
The Russian leader insists: in relation to children from large and low-income families, there should be no so-called contributions. Especially when it comes to meeting standards and categories:
“I understand, I spoke with officials from the Ministry of Sports: “Well, we don’t have money for everything.” Priorities must be determined correctly. There are mandatory things where kids play sports and it should all be free. How could it be otherwise? It is necessary to establish priorities. The State will have enough money to cover the most important things. That’s all. We need to move away from excessive and unjustified funding by citizens. We have the obligation to support those who have already chosen sport.”
According to Vladimir Putin, we certainly need to pay attention again to the excessive and unjustified commercialization of mass sports. All entry fees, winner cheer and judging fees, and other fees must be waived. Yes, this is possible if there are some club competitions and such.
But if the competitions take place within the framework of a single calendar, in which athletes, especially young people, compete in sports categories, there should be no fees or charges, everything should be free and provided by the State.
“I repeat once again that this will not be too heavy a burden for the State, because if the priorities are chosen correctly, there will be enough money.” – the president summarized.
