Vladimir Putin Opens World Olympians Forum in Moscow

(ATR) Russian President Vladimir Putin called for sport to be rid of politics as he welcomed more than 280 delegates to the inaugural forum organized by the World Olympians Association.

"We strictly adhere to the Olympic charter that says that athletes cannot be used to political ends. We’ve been adamant supporters of the statements that sports should be beyond politics," said Putin.

Several Russian Olympic greats – such as gymnastics legend Larisa Latynina, figure skater Yvgeny Plushenko and hockey's Vachyslav Fetisov – listened on as Putin welcomed them to the forum.

"I wish the forum becomes a very good, longstanding tradition," Putin said, closing out his address.

IOC President Thomas Bach was one of more than a dozen IOC members at the forum. In his remarks, Bach explained how he made the jump from athlete to sports administrator.

Bach won a gold medal in fencing at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and was frustrated when the next edition of the Games in Moscow was boycotted due to international politics.

Now back in Moscow 35 years after the boycott, Bach said this frustration drove him to work in sports administration to protect athletes from a similar situation in the future.

"I knew that if world leaders at the time had listened to athletes, then that boycott would have never have happened. This is actually why I’m standing here today."

"After we lost this fight against the boycott of Moscow, I decided to start working in sports administration and sports management to make sure future generations of athletes would not have to suffer again from such a decision," said Bach.

The day long forum included eight panel discussions and workshops, covering topics such as bridging the gender gap, the benefits the Olympics can provide to host cities and youth participation in sport.

Prince Albert of Monaco lead a panel discussion about why the Olympic Games are still important today.

Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov gave a presentation about the innovations generated by the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the impact the Games had on Russia.

World Olympians Association president Joel Bouzou says the forum will become a biannual event occurring every two years. He says he sees it as an activity of the association that will generate new ideas and ways to involve Olympians in their communities.

The forum ends Wednesday night with a gala dinner at the Kremlin. On Thursday, the World Olympians Association has its general assembly where Bouzou will be reelected for a second four-year term, along with other officers of the organization.

Around the Ringsis on-the-scene in Moscow to provide coverage of the event.

Written by KevinNutley

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