‘The share of the population doing sport is 62.9%’: Tatarstan Ministry of Sport sums up the results of the first half of 2024
Minister of Sport of Tatarstan Vladimir Leonov outlined six main areas that need to be developed in the republic in 2024. These include scholarships for athletes and coaches, construction and repair of new venues, increasing the physical activity of the population, attracting problem teenagers to sports and testing of children through Become a Champion programme. Read about the progress of the plans and the results of the first half of the year were discussed at a meeting of the ministry on 30 July in a report of Realnoe Vremya.
Exceeding the plan
Based on the results of the first half of 2024, the Ministry of Sport of Tatarstan is expected to exceed the plan in four priority areas. This was stated during the meeting by Vladimir Leonov's First Deputy Khalil Shaykhutdinov.
“In April, the minister of sport set six areas, six goals for 2024. They are all bright, all very important because this affects our athletes, coaches and the population every day,” he emphasised.
According to the plans, at least 15 sports venues need to be built in 2024. At the same time, according to Shaykhutdinov, 19 new sites have already been created by the beginning of the second half of the year, including 15 universal sports areas and 4 indoor football arenas.
He also stressed that the plan for increasing the share of the population that systematically plays sports is exceeded. Thus, by the end of the year, it is necessary to increase the number from 58.2 to 64%. At the moment, the indicator is 62.9%.
In addition, the plan for providing systematic sports activities to at least 100 teenagers registered with the Department for Juvenile Affairs is exceeded. Almost 4,500 such children have been registered in Tatarstan, of which 102 are involved in physical activity.
“These numbers are small, but still, if only these guys were involved in sports. This is necessary not so that they become great athletes but so that they become worthy members of society. Sports mobilises,” the speaker explained.
“This area must be strengthened”
However, the results do not look so rosy in all areas. Chairman of the Public Council of the Ministry of Sports of Tatarstan Emir Kharisov noted that at the moment it is necessary to strengthen support measures for Tatarstan residents returning from the special military operation:
“An obvious prospect is that all conflicts, wars always, unfortunately, lead to the fact that many guys return with physical and mental wounds. We need to help them adapt to a normal, full life. It is necessary to step up work in this area, increase rates in regional centres.
He emphasised that such a task was not set for the ministry, but this issue needs to be resolved.
Back to priority areas, Shaikhutdinov noted that it is necessary to step up work on testing children through Become a Champion programme. It helps to determine the predisposition to sports. At the moment, 228 children out of 500 planned for the year have passed it.
“This area needs to be strengthened in order to achieve the plan by the end of the year. Now the school year will begin, and this will become more feasible,” the official believes.
As for major repairs, by the end of the year, it was planned to reconstruct at least 17 sports facilities and increase the share of renovated sites from 82 to 83%. At the moment, work has already begun on 15 of them. In fact, 19 facilities are planned to be repaired in 2024.
The amount of funding for these purposes in 2024 amounted to 668.5 million rubles. In just four years, 82 sports facilities have been renovated.
Shaykhutdinov spoke about providing scholarships to champions. In 2024, additional payments must be made to 850 athletes and 95 coaches who have shown high results. At the moment, 1,069 athletes and 72 coaches receive monthly bonuses.
As of June 30, the total payment amounted to 46.3 million rubles.