Russian sports federations affected by Western sanctions are starting to work with SCO, BRICS and Asian region countries more actively - Russian deputy PM

MOSCOW. June 16 (Interfax) - Russian sports federations started developing cooperation with the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS and the Asian region on preparations for and organization of joint competitions more actively after the imposition of the sanctions, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said on Rossiya 24 (VGTRK) television.

"Any competitions without Russia are laughable, there is no competition there. [...] But if they have decided so, we are now focusing on the SCO, BRICS and Asian region countries, our federations will re-orient to these directions. They are holding new outstanding competitions such as the Children of Asia and others, and they are creating new projects that will enable our athletes to compete," Chernyshenko said.

"We are looking to become independent of foreign sports bases; we will make bases that will be fully ours. When they are created, Russia will be fully import-substituted in terms of training bases for elite athletes," he said.

The funding released after the cancellation of some international tournaments in Russia will be used to develop an accessible sports infrastructure, he said.