Vladimir Putin’s address:

Mr Rogge (Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee), Mr Hickey (Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committee), ladies and gentlemen, friends. The occasion of our meeting today is a pleasant one -- a celebratory ball marking the 100^th anniversary of the Russian Olympic Committee.

I congratulate all of our Olympic athletes on this remarkable occasion. Gathered here are the best athletes and coaches, honoured medal winners and talented young athletes. We are all proud of you. I am pleased to see foreign guests taking part in our event – the leaders and representatives of the International Olympic Committee, participants of the 40^th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees that have just concluded their work in Sochi. We greet you all. Welcome!

This anniversary is very important both for our country, Russia, and for the Olympic movement in general. The last century has justly been lauded as an era that saw a rapid upsurge of sports, the most decisive breakthroughs and progress. This striving towards perfection, to new peaks is also expressed in the famous Olympic motto: “Faster, Higher, Stronger!” Our champions and record-breakers have contributed to the history of these gains a substantial number of brilliant, unforgettable pages. They have attained prestige for their country and built up the glory of a world-class sports nation. Let us recall that during the Olympic Games more than 1,500 of our compatriots stood upon the highest step of the victory podium. Many of them are here in this hall. We are proud that Russia has been part of the Olympic movement practically from the very beginning. We share and support the philosophy of the Olympic movement, the fundamental values and ideas set forth by baron de Coubertin. Talent and hard work, the spirit of friendship and solidarity, fair competition and the champion’s grace and nobility – these are values common to each nation, qualities that unite all humanity.

We currently attach to sports the closest and most serious attention: we are creating new and better conditions in which to train our athletes and teams for major world competitions at the highest, most modern level. We are updating the infrastructure, we are building stadiums and fields, we are supporting sports in schools, among  students, we are doing everything we can in order for sports to become a part of life for every Russian family. In the near future, Russian cities will be hosting the largest world competitions. These include the Universiade in Kazan (the 27th World University Summer Games in Kazan to be held in 2013), the Olympic Games in Sochi, the world ice hockey championship, the world football championship, and other major competitions. We certainly understand their importance for the future of this country, for our youth, for the entire Russian nation, and for the promotion of the values of an active and healthy lifestyle.

We welcome all the foreign guests who will come to support their idols, and I am sure they will open up a new Russia for themselves – a country with a history that stretches back a millennium, one that is steadily developing and looking towards the future. I want to stress that the preparatory work of the largest sports forums is being conducted in accordance with the highest standards and requirements, in close contact with international organisations. I want to thank once again the President of the International Olympic Committee, Mr Jacques Rogge, all the attending leaders of the Olympic organisations and international sports federations for their active, fruitful co-operation, for the honour that they have done to this country by entrusting Russia to host the largest international competitions.  

I am sure that all our efforts, all investments, will yield positive results. And not only in the form of medals and world cups; they will contribute to the harmonious spiritual and physical education of the younger generations, they will boost trust between countries and peoples, contribute to the partnership that is in the spirit of Olympic movement. There are large sports forums still to come, a whole series of critical and intensive competitions. National teams are in full swing preparing for the London games. I want to wish our athletes and coaches success in the Olympic Games. I am sure that the experience of past generations and your modern approaches to training, as well as the ardent support from millions of Russian fans will help you. I wish our foreign colleagues further success in promoting the ideals of the Olympic movement and of sports in all countries and on the world stage. I wish you success! Thank you for your attention.