CHEBOKSARY, October 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will help organize major international sports competitions both in Russia and around the world, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
"We will be prepared to carry on our cooperation with our friends all over the world and will assist in holding major international sports forums and competitions all over the world, and in this country as well. As you may know, apart from the Sochi Olympics, we are prepared and will hold fencing, wrestling and other competitions, including water sports. We have great plans – like the Ice Hockey World Championship, and so forth," Putin said at a meeting with heads of international sports organizations in Russia's Chuvash Republic.
Putin said that Russia has a lot of plans for the competitions, including fencing, wrestling, water sports, and even the World Ice Hockey Championship.
"We will prepare sports grounds, and I very much hope that all that has been accumulated from previous years will help us develop our relations in the future," the president said.
Before the meeting, the Russian leader thanked the President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and member of the International Olympic Committee, Claude-Louis Gallien, for his efforts in the development of sport in general and student sports in particular, as well as for assistance in organizing the 2013 Universiade in Kazan.
"Everything Mr Gallien has done in the many years he has been heading university sports is, undoubtedly, a significant contribution to relations between nations and it helps develop sports among children and young people and sports in general," Putin said.
After that, Claude-Louis Gallien was awarded the Order of Friendship.
