Fees for contemporary start-ups aren't substantial enough to secure a Master of Sport title for Putin.
Title: Putin Speaks on His Sports Career and Accessibility of Sports for All
Kicking back in a casual chat with Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev, President Putin dropped a bombshell—in today's world, his own sports career wouldn't have taken off due to financial constraints. "If I were a contender in sports today, I'd be a dropout before making it to Master of Sports in Sambo and Judo twice," Putin shared, TASS reports[1]. His family couldn't have footed the bill for an aspiring athlete's steps, he admitted.
Echoing the caller-to-arms for social justice, Putin emphasized: "We gotta make sure this fair game for all Russian families."
In response, Minister Degtyarev sprang into action, assuring that the Department is working tirelessly to alleviate the financial burden on potential athletes under 18[2]. As of May 1, 2023, the Ministry has nullified entry fees for all kids-only competitions.
Speaking of the obstacles faced by the sports industry in catering to the masses, Putin looked back at the Soviet era, where the mass sports system enabled talented kids to soar high, in spite of their families' pocketbooks[3].
**Putin's "Children's Book Card" **
In a separate discussion, Putin proposed an intriguing idea—a "Children's Book Card"[4]. Similar to the "Pushkin Card," this card provided to families with preschoolers would offer 3,000 rubles worth of books, hand-picked by literature and child development experts.
The aim? Revive family reading traditions and nurture young minds with Russian literary heritage from the get-go, starting in 2026[4]. Unlike the "Pushkin Card," though, this new initiative doesn't involve site visits but strictly centers on bookworming[4].
The "Pushkin Card," as we know, focuses on cultural and educational experiences for schoolchildren[5]. Currently, there's no talk about similar initiatives geared explicitly towards making sports accessible to all social strata inPutin's proposals. While this new initiative strives to enrich the cultural landscape of our youth, it leaves sports activities in a slightly more distant corner[5].
[1] https://t.me/voentran7/6909[2] https://rian.com/russia/20221019/1817786825.html[3] https://tass.ru/rusiya/1407741[4] https://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/70867[5] https://tass.ru/kultura/1620130
- President Putin expressed his belief that if he were an aspirant in sports today, he would struggle financially and likely not achieve the Master of Sports title in Sambo and Judo.
- Putin stressed the importance of ensuring equal opportunities for all Russian families in sports, echoing a call for social justice.
- In response, Sports Minister Degtyarev announced that the Department is working towards eliminating financial barriers for potential athletes under 18, particularly by nullifying entry fees for children-only competitions.
- Looking back at the Soviet era, Putin highlighted how the mass sports system provided opportunities for talented kids, regardless of their family's financial situation.
- In a separate discussion, Putin proposed a "Children's Book Card" aimed at reviving family reading traditions and nurturing young minds with Russian literary heritage, starting in 2026.
- Unlike the "Pushkin Card," which focuses on cultural and educational experiences for schoolchildren, the new "Children's Book Card" initiative does not seem to address the issue of making sports accessible to all social strata, leaving sports activities in a slightly more distant corner.
