Seventh International Congress Sport for All: Innovative Projects and Best Practices in National Systems of Physical Education Starts in St. Petersburg

Today in St. Petersburg, Vasily Shestakov — president of the International Sambo Federation and president of Sport, People and Health, an international NGO for promoting science and sports — kicked off the seventh international congress Sport for All: Innovative Projects and Best Practices in National Systems of Physical Education.

The congress will gather more than 300 participants from 36 countries at the Park Inn by Radisson Pribaltiyskaya Hotel in St. Petersburg from October 27 to October 29. The event is sponsored by the Council of Europe, the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and Russia’s Ministry of Sport, and falls under the aegis of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO. It is safe to say that for these three days, Russia’s cultural capital will become the scientific and sports capital of the world.

In his welcoming remarks, Vasily Shestakov said: “The IOC currently views the Sport for All movement as the primary movement that is destined to be an integral part of the practical activities of the entities of the global and Olympic movement. The IOC feels that congresses like the one getting under way today are qualified to help affirm and spread the Olympic spirit and the development of humanity. In Sport for All, victory is not the goal — it only expresses the development of the athlete’s individuality. When you exclude the sacrifice of the athlete for the sake of getting a better result, you eliminate the need to force athletic preparation and to use stimulants and dishonest methods. We are working hard to develop this approach in the International Sambo Federation. Monaco will soon be hosting a combined world tournament of Judo and Sambo masters; at this tournament, the performances will be exhibitions. There will be no winners — or more precisely, all the participants will be winners and will get medals, while the main idea of the tournament will be to achieve peace and promote the healthy lifestyle through sport. Sport for all is a human right, and our congress serves to support and develop this right.”

Also participating in the opening of the congress were the president of the Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health; Vladimir Kirillov, vice governor of St. Petersburg; Vladimir Taymazov, the congress’s Science Committee chair; Dmitry Svishchev, chair of the Committee on Physical Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs of the Russian State Duma and a Duma deputy; Mansur Bariev, first deputy chair of the Committee on Physical Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs; and Yuri Avdeev, a member of the St. Petersburg government and chair of the Physical Culture and Sport committee.

Speaking at the congress’s opening, Dmitry Svishchev said: “The issues that this congress is tackling are crucial: they are topical and compelling. This is not just a comment on today’s event — this is a historic fact. The study of the interrelation between sport and health is an important element of government policy, an element with major moral significance. I wish all the participants and delegates interesting discussions, opportunities to forge new connections and success in their work.”

During the congress, all the guests and participants will hear talks by a diverse array of presenters from Russia, the United States, Brazil, Montenegro, Moldavia, South Africa, Germany, Saudi Arabia, India, Belarus and Turkey. On the first day of the event, in addition to attending presentations and plenary sessions, all the delegates will visit the city’s sports venues: the Lokosfinks Olympic velodrome, the track and field sports complex and the Sibur Arena sports and concert complex, where visitors will see the opportunities these sports facilities offer people who are keen on living a healthy lifestyle in St. Petersburg. There will also be work done at subpanels and round tables on a wide range of topics, and master classes and exhibitions.

The 2015 congress will examine national practices in developing Sport for All, synthesize experiences and bring to light the main aspects of this type of human activity. At the end, it will formulate recommendations with a view to developing the movement more effectively and on a larger scale. In the format of open discussions, scientists and experts on sport, health and medicine will be able to exchange views, critically expose the circumstances and issues, and offer their own suggestions. The congress’s plenary sessions over these few days will bring together prominent scientists and cultural figures from different countries, along with world-renowned athletes, Olympic champions and heads of international athletic organizations.