Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Dmitry Medvedev: Hello, everybody. Of course, I wanted to meet with you after the Olympic Games, but I couldn’t seem to manage it, and then you had to leave. Well, better late than never. So we have an open agenda. I have called you here to discuss the sports we love – rowing and canoeing; to discuss the development of the Federation and existing programmes, and to just talk about life, which is always an appropriate topic of conversation. Of course, we’ve called together the bosses, too. Mr Mutko (Vitaly Mutko – Minister of Sport) is sitting over there in order to meticulously record everything I say in the annals of sports history.

Let me mention a few things to start with. According to my information, seventeen Russian regions have declared rowing and canoeing to be major sports. This means that these regions are due to invest in these sports. Since you represent various parts of our country, although you mostly train in Moscow and other parts, you come from different territories, and I want you to tell me now what is being done, what is good and what is not so good. A very important competition is coming up – the 2013 Universiade, which is very indicative, and then the 2014 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championship. By the way, I want to congratulate everybody on this because rowing and canoeing are great events. When was the World Championship last held in Russia? 

Response: A competition at this level was held at the 1980 Olympic Games.

Dmitry Medvedev: We still remember it, but the majority of people don’t remember the 1980 Olympic Games. But in Soviet times did Moscow host the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championship? Anyone remember? 

Yevgeny Arkhipov (President of the Russian Canoe Federation): No.

Dmitry Medvedev: No? My colleague tells me it was never held here. So it’s terrific, of course. This means that foreign countries recognise Russia as a country that is capable of hosting a competition of this level. And you know better than anybody else that we need water for this, and not simply water but prepared water, we need proper conditions for training, we need stands for fans. So in this sense we can also discuss how Moscow is prepared and discuss the overall readiness of other territories. I have visited some places. I was in Kazan and I liked what I saw in terms of the conditions for rowing. But our country is large and is not limited to these two places. St Petersburg and Moscow are also preparing. However, we will have to invest considerable funds.

Of course, we should discuss children’s and youth sports – what can be done in the coming years to help along the new generation because the guys who have already achieved success are represented here. I want to use this occasion to congratulate all those who have participated in the Olympics, and of course, our winners, those who have won gold and bronze. Good job, no matter what other people say. I realise that there have been plans that failed. But the best is yet to come, I’m absolutely sure of it. In any case, we have demonstrated that we have not worsened the situation relative to Beijing, and I hope that after the Moscow competition… Our next start is Rio de Janeiro, in 2016. We have quite a lot of time till then, but you and I both know that time passes quickly…        

Friends and colleagues, that’s all I wanted to say to get things started. Now anybody who wants to speak, to tell us something about sports and life, please take the floor.  

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Concluding remarks by Dmitry Medvedev:

I think that everything will be OK if you work to reach your goals with similar enthusiasm. Indeed, we have a lot of very important and large competitions ahead, but I’m pleased with your results in recent years. I think that despite some moderate results at the Olympics – Mr Verlin (Sergei Verlin – Chief Coach of the Russian National Canoe/Kayak Team) was right to say: these indicators are improving, and this means that we have taken the right path – we will achieve good results all the same. This is important for this country and for a great number of fans because Russians love football, of course; but they also love rowing and canoeing, so everything will be okay in this sense. 

I wish you all happiness and, of course, brilliant achievements in sports, victories and self-fulfilment not only during your active sports career but also after. In this sense, you are absolutely right: we should pay attention to issues of rehabilitation for our outstanding athletes after they end their career in professional sports. This is also very important. That is all, thank you.