By Mark Baber
December 10 – Russian president Vladimir Putin called for an overhaul of the current system of administration of Russian football, for a speeding up of work on infrastructure projects for the 2018 World Cup and for the national squad to represent the country with dignity. He made his comments at president’s council for sports and the 2018 World Cup organising committee.
Putin began the meeting by presenting Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, famous for his brave but scarcely comprehensible speech in English at Russia’s World Cup bid, with an English-language course book, saying, “Vitaly Leontyevich Mutko is celebrating his birthday today, and I want to wish him a happy birthday. Since [Mutko] is not only involved in our projects, does not only head our football, but is also actively working at an international level, I would like to present him with an English-language self-study coursebook.”
In the wake of the doping scandal which has rocked Russian athletics, Putin was insistent that: “Of course we should perform with dignity in 2018.”
“People in Russia love football. Young and old all play the game.
“Of course Russian football is not without the government’s attention and the private investors’ support.
“That means that the problems are in the game’s system of administration, the system of selection of young players, the methods and forms of interaction with coaches and players.”
However, rather than just focus on the period up to the World Cup in 2018, Putin said a “clear-cut programme of actions is needed,” proposing “to work out the nation-wide strategy until 2030.”
Regarding the financing of the nation’s football clubs, the president regretted that “sometimes the contest between football clubs looks like the battle of cash-boxes,” and demanded an end to the situation where, “many of the clubs get funding from the regional budgets. They waste the money assigned for sports development in the country’s regions.”
Pointing out that “around the world football clubs make a lot of money by selling the broadcasting rights, advertising, the club symbols and other things,” the president asked that the sports ministry should “work out their concrete proposals for the creation of an adequate system of financial activities for the country’s professional clubs.”
The president was apprised of delays on some World Cup projects and after the meeting he highlighted the problems at Kaliningrad, where he said delays “should be fixed as quickly as possible.” He ordered regional governors to consider the World Cup preparations as their priority, as new or upgraded infrastructure should help make the regions more attractive for tourists and investors for years to come.
Following the bombing in Paris, the Russian president emphasised the need to ensure tight security at all World Cup facilities.
The president added that football officials should ensure the national team performs well in the World Cup.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734949474labto1734949474ofdlr1734949474owedi1734949474sni@r1734949474ebab.1734949474kram1734949474