May 21 – Russia’s build for the 2018 World Cup is having a knock-on effect for other sports with Samara being the latest to announce that as well as the new Kosmos Arena, the region is proposing a number of other new sports facilities.
At a meeting with the governor of Samara, Nikolay Merkoushin, proposals for a water sports centre, an indoor cycling track and a dedicated martial arts facility were discussed.
According to regional sports minister Dmitry Shlyakhtina, all the facilities have already received preliminary support from Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko.
The funding of the facilities will be via the federal budget with each receiving 500 million rubles ($10 million).
Name change
Yekatirenburg, which will host group matches in 2018 and is in the process of renovating its main stadium, will be giving the stadium a new name.
The minister for physical culture, sport and youth politics of Sverdlovskiy region, Leonid Rapoport, said that they will rename the stadium ‘Centralniy’ (Central) following recommendations from FIFA who advised a shorter name is more understandable for foreigners.
Yekatirenburg main stadium was actually named ‘Centralniy’ in June 1957. Before it was renamed called ‘Metalurg Vostoka’.
This summer is expected to see the completion of the modernization of the ‘Uralmash’ stadium which will be used as a training ground for World Cup teams.
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