Prime Minister Vladimir Putin concluded his visit to Kemerovo by visiting the Regional Judo Centre that had opened just several hours earlier.

Local judo students, boys between the ages of 7 and 10, who that day had met the Russian national team at the opening ceremony, waited for Vladimir Putin in the spacious and well-lit gym. "Do you like the gym?" asked the prime minister, to which the boys said "yes." "I see it is comfortable and multifunctional. Congratulations!"

Noticing one boy's bandaged arm he asked what had happened. The boy said he had taken a bad fall. "Haven't they taught you how to fall properly? Never mind, you will learn."

Then the boys and senior instructors divided into pairs and began to practice. Vladimir Putin shared his knowledge with some of them. "Now, take out the leg... Yes!" the prime minister said as a boy in blue kimono took a grown judoka twice his size down to the mat.

The team coach was introduced to Vladimir Putin. Italian Stefano Fracinelli coaches both regional and the national teams and is responsible for physical training. "Yes, I like it very much. It is a bit cold here, but I am getting used to it. It's a good group. They work well," he told the prime minister.

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After visiting a new Regional Judo Centre in Kemerovo and attending a class of young judo students, Vladimir Putin spoke with members of the national judo team

Transcript of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Hello, boys. I would like to welcome you in your new gym. Did you attend the opening ceremony?

Dmitry Morozov, senior coach of the National Olympic Judo Team: Yes, of course.

Vladimir Putin: The gym is very good. And will you train here for two weeks, or have you been training here for some time already?

Reply: We have already started.

Remark: On the twentieth.

Vladimir Putin: This is a good, multifunctional gym. You can warm up here and work out on the tatami. Do you also train with young kids?

Remark: No, this was only today, but the local boys are joining in.

Vladimir Putin: They have a good team.

Remark: A successful team, right.

Vladimir Putin: They say it will offer some competition to the Russian judo team.

Remark: Well, this will not happen overnight.

Vladimir Putin: I have just had a conversation with them, and I said: “Will you offer some competition?” ”In a couple of years,” they replied. That’s what they said.

Remark: Let’s talk about it in a couple of years.

Vladimir Putin: Well, one can train in such conditions, and it is also possible to bring up athletes in this environment. I have seen little boys there show off some pretty good throwing techniques. Is the coach happy about the training process?

Ezio Gambo, head coach of the National Judo Team (via interpreter): We have just started. This is a good beginning. Besides, this is a wonderful facility. This is a rather magnificent and ambitious project because it has been decided to select about 50 athletes aged 16-17 years, and the national judo team has come here precisely to support this project.

Vladimir Putin: It is worth supporting.

Ezio Gambo: Yes, indeed.

Vladimir Putin: I’ll be happy to come and train here. And where do you live?

Ezio Gambo: We live in a hotel.

Vladimir Putin: It’s not far from here, right?

Ezio Gambo: It’s a 15-minute walk from here.

Vladimir Putin: How convenient. And where do you plan to go from here?

Reply: We plan to go to Paris where a training session and a tournament will be held.

Remark: On the fourth and the fifth.

Vladimir Putin: Will this be part of the 2012 Paris Judo Grand Slam?

Reply: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: This will be the next to last event before the Olympic Games, right?

Reply: The 2012 Judo Grand Slam will be the last event.

Remark: No, after that we will go to Chelyabinsk.

Remark: Dusseldorf will host the 2012 Judo Grand Prix. And we will go to Moscow in May.

Remark: Chelyabinsk will host the 2012 European Judo Championships. This is the last event where we will be able to accumulate points.

Vladimir Putin: When will you go to Chelyabinsk?

Reply: In April.

Vladimir Putin: Are you ready?

Reply: We are getting ready.

Vasily Anisimov (President of the Russian Judo Federation): The boys have now been to Almaty. I don’t want to jinx them, but they performed magnificently. The only problem with them is that when they throw their opponents, they hope the referee will notice… At that moment, the referee pretended not to see. And it turns out that we have won gold, one silver medal and four bronze medals in Almaty. But we could have won two gold medals.  

Vladimir Putin: What is the well-known answer?

Remark: The answer is: Struggle till the end.

Vladimir Putin: Please repeat that.  

Remark: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: If they didn’t notice, please repeat it.

Remark: We have to repeat it, if the referee is not attentive…

Remark: We have heard these correct words, Mr Putin, we will repeat it once again till the end.

Vladimir Putin: I will not distract you, please work calmly. Or will you now have tea? What? You will have tea …

Ezio Gamba: However, we should not lose sight of the goal that we have set because we should not forget about practice because of all the celebrations. It turns out that we celebrate more and train less every day.

Vladimir Putin: And who is celebrating?

Remark: It’s just a joke.

Ezio Gamba: We are now getting used to achieving wonderful results. But this is also risky because we must focus. We have come close to attaining the goal we set for ourselves, and we must work. This is a rather sensitive period, and all of us must be very calm during this period. And we should not always expect results because the Olympics are our main goal.

Vladimir Putin: All right, I will not comment. You are the coach, and you know best.

Ezio Gamba: I feel that the team is ready, and I feel that they have set this goal, and that they strive to achieve it. At the same time, the surrounding atmosphere must be calm. One should not ask every time what medals and prizes we have won. The situation around the team must be calm. I know that you have been watching our team from the very beginning because you, of course, know everything. We have repeatedly trained together, and each time I see that you are better prepared than before.

Vladimir Putin: Every training session with the national team increases my professionalism.

Ezio Gamba: I have noticed this, I have noticed.

Vladimir Putin: Alexander has made quite an impression on me. I have strained my back because of you.

Alexander Mikhailin, 2011 World Judo Championships prize winner: I didn’t want this to happen.

Vladimir Putin: My back still hurts. How much do you weigh?

Alexander Mikhailin: 115 kg.

Vladimir Putin: 115 kg? You weighed 117 kg when you and I were in St Petersburg. Does this mean that you have lost some weight?

Alexander Mikhailin: No, I’m getting back in shape, so that everything will be OK. When a person is overweight, this is…  

Vladimir Putin: Not the best weight.

Alexander Mikhailin: Not the best …

Vladimir Putin: And what do you think about your optimal weight?

Alexander Mikhailin: My optimal weight is exactly 113-115 kg. This allows for impressive mobility and a sufficiently functional physique because when you weigh more, you have trouble moving around, and your speed also drops a great deal. I’m comfortable with this weight. 

Vladimir Putin (addressing Ezio Gamba): Is it better in Italy or in Siberia? Be honest.

Ezio Gamba: Everyone knows the answer...

Remark: Siberia.

Vladimir Putin: It’s better to live with miners who are down-to-earth and far more reliable people.  

Ezio Gamba: Of course, this is not a politically correct answer, but every time when I go to a new place, I can see that it’s very hospitable there. I don’t know whether this is true of the world of judo or the world as a whole, but every time I travel around the world, it’s extremely hospitable everywhere. The first time, when I came here with Sergei Soloveichik, vice president of the Russian Judo Federation, we received a very warm welcome. After that, it was decided to build this facility in seven months. I said that if they could do this, then they should. Indeed, it is a real miracle that such a magnificent facility has been constructed in seven months.

Vladimir Putin: Great. And I can tell you that this is extremely cost-effective because similar centres in other places cost twice as much. I know this firsthand – twice as much. A high-precision job has been completed, the design is good, and this experience can be spread to other regions.

Remark: They have now decided to build the very same facility in Yekaterinburg.

Vladimir Putin: Have you been to Tyumen?

Remarks: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: Do they have a good facility there?

Reply: It’s good.

Vladimir Putin: We hosted the World
Judo Open Championships 2011 there.

Remark: In terms of absolute weight.

Remark: They also want to build an extension to the hotel.

Remark: The hotel Luch for 212 guests will be built. They have already signed a contract with the local government, and are beginning construction. But they build really fast. They have their own design institute. Their entire family, including the father and the son, is quite active. Their partners are also active. They did meet with Ezio Gamba and Soloveichik about eight months ago, and today the facility has already been completed. For the beginning 1,000 signatures must be collected in order to start construction. In this case, the administration simply met them halfway and the boys received this facility, and their future looks so good.

Vladimir Putin: Vitaly, where will you go from Paris? Where will you compete?

Vitaly Makarov, senior coach of the National Judo Team: After the Paris tournament, we will spend three more days at a training camp. After that, we will return home for two to four days, and then we will go to Germany. Some of the boys will compete in the tournament, some others will stay at the training camp and will also participate in sparring sessions in Germany. We will then go to the Czech Republic. We will return home, relax, and then start training for the European Judo Championships.

Vladimir Putin: In Chelyabinsk?

Vitaly Makarov: In Chelyabinsk, right. We will hold a practice in Chelyabinsk ten days prior to the European Judo Championships. And then there will also be the European Championships…

Vladimir Putin: Have you been there already? Have you looked around?

Reply: They are preparing everything there rather quickly.

Vitaly Makarov:  The local Ice Palace is magnificent and new. It is run by the Traktor Chelyabinsk hockey team. So the entire project and infrastructure are under control...  

Vladimir Putin: They are proud of the fact that we plan to hold the European Judo Championships there.

Vitaly Makarov: Of course, this is a festive occasion for Chelyabinsk and Russia. Russia will host the European Judo Championships for the first time. This will be great. Nevertheless, as Enzio has said, we never forget that the Olympics are our goal. The European Championships are a good start. It’s like a rehearsal for the Olympics, which will get underway about three and half months from now.

Vladimir Putin: Most importantly, you should avoid injuries.

Remark: We’ll keep our fingers crossed, and we’ll knock on wood.

Remark: Kirill and Tagir have already hidden their hands.

Ezio Gamba: Tagir suffered an injury in December and is now having his arm treated.  

Remark: The Japanese have already started knocking off their opponents one by one.

Vladimir Putin: Why did you allow this to happen?

Aslan Mudranov, member of the National Olympic Judo Team: Sergei is now ready to …  

Vladimir Putin: To break off his second arm.

Sergei Samoilovich, member of the National Judo Team: I’m ready to avenge my comrade.

Aslan Mudranov: No, he is ready to defend his colleague.

Sergei Samoilovich: To punish the Japanese.

Vladimir Putin: Did you compete?

Sergei Samoilovich: I won the 2011 Tokyo Judo Grand Slam before the New Year holiday.  

Vladimir Putin: That was a good tournament.

Sergei Samoilovich: Tagir and I were supposed to compete.

Vladimir Putin: It appears that the Japanese have won all the prizes.

Sergei Samoilovich: Indeed. Alexander and I won only two medals, we kept them out of the hands of the Japanese team.

Vladimir Putin: I watched the tournament. The Japanese team won virtually everything.

Remark: Only the Russians and the Japanese won medals. I mean the men.

Vladimir Putin: Well, the Chinese and the Koreans have begun to do well in judo.  

Remark: The Chinese, yes, especially the girls. They have a serious team.

Remark: Strong, very strong. .

Remark: She is strong, the world champion.

Remark: And among men, the guys are getting stronger, the whole world is getting stronger…

Remark: The Koreans are always strong, especially taken together.

Remark: Mr Khaibulayev and I, we were supposed to fight together, but he left a bit earlier, and a Japanese [judoka] injured him. I avenged my comrade, though. I won the tournament.

Vladimir Putin: You came up and took him down.

Remark: I frightened the Korean. He grabbed my legs.

Vladimir Putin: Did he accidentally grab your leg?

Answer: Out of fear. Russians instil fear in judo worldwide.

Vladimir Putin: In all things, not only in judo.

Remark: But everybody (has been doing the same) on his home turf.

Vladimir Putin: For a long time. They never let up.

Remark: Everybody wants to frighten (his opponent) on his home turf. We do it in sports.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. It is unnecessary to strike fear, it is necessary to win. Only the Italians are not afraid of the Russians.

Ezio Gamba: Italians, like Russians, fear nobody, because these two teams have a lot of guts, both teams, the Russian team and the Italian team.

Vladimir Putin: We see. You definitely have a leader. I know some of them.

Kirill Denisov, medal winner, 2010 World and European Judo Championships : Mr Putin, recently our team discussed and read your public address on ethnic policy and ethnic glue that holds this country together. You cited examples in education, literature, religion, but we, athletes, want to ask you: we seem to have a multiethnic culture… 

Vladimir Putin: Excuse me, do not get cross with me, but I spoke based on something that goes without saying.

Kirill Denisov: Especially the example of our national team. It includes more than 40 large and small ethnic groups…

Vladimir Putin: I know. And I know the relationships you have with each other. It was no accident that Mr Samoilovich said that a Japanese injured Mr Khaibulayev, and this one came and avenged his comrade. Naturally, there is no need for revenge…

Remark: Perhaps a bit.

Vladimir Putin: I know about your international team, I know about your good, comradely relationships. It is very important. You know, it is a very good example for everyone in all walks of life, for the country as a whole, it is a very good example. And it is also very important, guys, that you have it not only within your team but show this good example to other people, the example of cooperation and friendship.

Kirill Denisov: You know it is revealed at a wedding when they come visit the Caucasus…

Vladimir Putin: It is forbidden to travel to the Caucasus for weddings: it will be a deviation from your training schedule.

Remark: Our coach will accompany us.

Remark: He will maintain control, morning training at 7 a.m.

Vladimir Putin: And you cannot travel with Italians at all.

Remark: They sympathise with the Caucasus.

Vladimir Putin: It is almost the same. Yesterday I had a very good meeting in Kislovodsk, a sincere talk. The south of this country is very ethnically diverse. In fact the whole of this country is like this in the southeast, in the south, in the Volga Region.

Remark: The sun is warm there.

Vladimir Putin: We can talk about it later, informally, as much as you like. Without the media. But in general I want to thank you for recalling it. It is a very good example, indeed. Our team is good.

Kirill Denisov: We started a discussion within our team. The guys say: we have no problems, in principle. We felt even more offended, because we consider sport to be a universal means…

Remark: … of unity.

Vladimir Putin: But did not say that.

Remark: It unites.

Vladimir Putin: Do not get cross with him, it goes without saying. This is all very familiar to me, I have known it since I was a child.  

Sergei Samoilovich: We live together all the time, and that is why we get closer to each other. We get closer than brothers, sisters and other relatives.

Vladimir Putin: I have just spoken with my colleagues. It’s nice that the same thing happens not only among athletes but among servicemen. I have just spoken to some guys: they serve (in the army) together, they visit each other in Central Russia, and then travel to the Caucasus to see their friends. People serving together – this is a very good sign. And it goes without saying in sports. Isn’t that right, Mr Anisimov?

Vasily Anisimov: This country has a very good foundation, so many different ethnic groups. We’ve all been mixed together for ages.  

Vladimir Putin: We are not immigrants or guests. We are all the masters of our own land, we are all children of one country, Russia; this is important. It is very important to feel and understand this and to be proud of this.

Sergei Samoilovich: We wanted to be friends, and we therefore don’t feel any animosity. 

Vladimir Putin: By the way, a lot depends on you in this sense. What I mean to say is that the entire country is proud of you when you win. Millions of people are proud of you, regardless of where they live and regardless of their ethnicity. I want to be straight: This is an important public and social aspect of your work.

Mikhail Maryenkov, head of the National Judo Team: We even felt this during the Judo World Masters–Almaty 2012 event. When a Russian athlete fights a foreigner, the audience shouts for the Russian.

Vladimir Putin: A citizen of Kazakhstan?

Mikhail Maryenkov: Yes, a citizen of Kazakhstan. These are also pleasant moments, which, as it turns out, take us back to the past, to Soviet times. And people remember all this. Technically, they still mostly speak Russian.

Vladimir Putin: I think I noted in my article that when a person from Russia goes abroad, he or she is considered a Russian citizen everywhere, all the time. This is also an important unifying element.

You will relax now, right?

Reply:  No, we will train after the event.

Vasily Anisimov: We have eaten some cake, and we now have to …

Vladimir Putin: You’ve got to get rid of the cake.

Dmitry Morozov, Senior Team Coach: The boys had hoped that the meeting would drag on …

Vladimir Putin: They need to do their workout.

Ezio Gamba: They had hoped that they would be able to ask many questions, and that they wouldn’t have to train as a result.

Remark: They are procrastinating...

Vladimir Putin: You have to train. Will you train in the gym or do you still train somewhere outside?

Ezio Gamba: They will only do workouts today. Starting tomorrow, they will attend judo classes and will also workout.

Remark: It’s chilly outside.

Vladimir Putin:  But you won’t try to make bodybuilders out of them?

Ezio Gamba: No, we won’t make bodybuilders out of them. Maybe, we’ll walk around as tourists for about an hour.

Vladimir Putin: Please behave yourselves when you go out.

Remark: Our sport is so peaceful …

Vladimir Putin:  Yeah, you’ll show what you’re made of on the tatami.

All, right guys, I’ll be going. I don’t want to distract you. You still have to do some workouts.

Tagir Khaibulayev, 2011 World Judo Championships prize winner: I’ve noticed that there are so many judo centres …

Vladimir Putin:  He doesn’t want to go, no matter what …

Tagir Khaibulayev: I’ve just noticed that so many judo centres are opening up in Russia, and that you always attend these opening ceremonies. As I see it, if you continue this tradition, then more dojos (judo gyms) and centres will open in Russia. Maybe the regional leaders will also take note.

Vladimir Putin:  Yes, they are helping.

Remark: Perhaps judo should be included in the winter and summer Olympic Games.

Vladimir Putin: How many young people are training today?

Vasily Anisimov: A total of 120,000 people train in Russia today, but our programme is, of course, so tough. We have now adopted a programme up to 2020. We have copied the French effort because France now actively promotes family judo. We want this to become a common, popular sport that would involve children, parents, even grandmothers and grandfathers. We want everyone to take up this sport. We have been to France, and we have seen that it has already become a tradition to hold championships between local towns, cities and villages. The French are now setting some good examples in judo.

Vladimir Putin: A good result.

Vasily Anisimov: Yes, this is a good result. And, most importantly, we have started accomplishing our objectives. Of course, this has been made possible thanks to the boys. We have met with the children today, and we have seen their glistening and sparkling eyes. This is quite positive, and we think that about 1% of the people in Japan, France and Holland go in for judo. This ratio would mean that the number of Russian judo lovers should top one million.

Vladimir Putin: I should think more people in Japan take up judo.

Vasily Anisimov: They have many versions of wrestling. And, yes they go in for this sport. But today, thanks to our team … Obviously, the potential is quite impressive.

Vladimir Putin: Actually, wrestling has traditionally been widespread among all nations of the Russian Federation. Almost every nation has its own types of wrestling.

Remark: Two Mongols have now made it into the finals of the Judo World Masters–Almaty 2012 event. They are really outstanding …

Remark: They also have their own national wrestling.

Vladimir Putin: Unarmed combat (Sambo) is our national sport. At the same time, judo, kimonos and ceremonies come second.

Vasily Anisimov: But the philosophy is universal. Jigoro Kano, the father of judo, wrote a philosophical concept … When you read it, you see that it can encompass everyone.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, all aspects of life.

Vasily Anisimov: Yes, this is very interesting.

Alexander Mikhailin: It was also nice that the national team attended the ceremony to open that dojo (judo gym), so that, besides what they see on TV and read in magazines, children will be able to talk to the national team  members in a casual atmosphere and will be able to think about their own future prospects. They have seen world champions, European prize winners and champions. So the opening ceremony involving the national team was really wonderful. Of course, the children appreciated this.

Vasily Anisimov: We now have our own website, so we … all the time … We are doing this more and more actively. We have held the Ministry of Defence Cup … Naturally, the sport centre was filled to capacity. Of course, the military also did a good job. But the event went off smoothly.

Vladimir Putin: The Ministry of Defence. The Interior Ministry also holds a similar event.

Remark: That’s right, this is something permanent. Pavel Balsky, President of the National Judo Veterans Union, organises the events. All the security agencies, including the Ministry of Defence and the Federal Security Service, are involved. Quite a few nations send representatives, too. We have also decided and have agreed with the Ministry of Defence to hold this event on a regular basis...

Vladimir Putin: All right, I wish you every success.