His return to the Olympic movement is written in the conditional. Its athletics federation is still suspended. And the whole world watches its athletes with an air of doubt. But Russia is thinking about the Games. Not only to be there, but above all to organize them.
Pavel Kolobkov, the Russian Minister of Sports, makes no secret of it: the country is already working on the first elements of a candidacy file. The former fencer told the agency TASS that Russia was very interested in organizing the Summer Olympic Games in 2032 or 2036. In short, as soon as it is possible to host the event, the IOC having already completed its order book until 2028 .
« Regarding the organization and hosting, there is no doubt that Russia would be ready to host these competitions., explained Pavel Kolobkov. It’s very interesting for us in principle, we need to think about it more. »
Banned from the Olympic movement after the revelations of the doping scandal at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, Russia was temporarily prevented from organizing international sporting events. With the exception of athletics, it is no longer so. Last November, she made her big return to the scene by being awarded the Men's Volleyball World Cup by the FIVB in 2022.
Olympic Games ? Why not. Pavel Kolobkov insists: “ It is clear for the IOC, for any federation and for the whole world, that Russia has a certain know-how in hosting competitions. It is always legitimate to think that major sporting events in our country are considered among the best in the world in terms of organization. »
Obviously, Pavel Kolobkov speaks under the control of Vladimir Putin. The Russian president has already spoken out on the issue. He wants the Summer Games. He has even already put forward the names of Sochi, Saint Petersburg and Kazan, as so many Russian cities capable in his eyes of hosting the event.
In the immediate future, the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) must continue its collaboration with the WADA teams without a single mistake. She will have to give them, no later than June 30, any suspicious samples currently stored in her Moscow laboratory.
Russia is not immune to new doping revelations. But at the top, in the Kremlin, the main thing is elsewhere. The Summer Games, if possible without having to wait too long.
