The 1st Blind Football International Friendly Tournament of professional teams of BRICS countries and partner nations became the final athletic event of Russia's BRICS Chairship in 2024.
This tournament emerged into the first inclusive project of public-private partnership on a joint initiative of the Russian Blind Football Federation and the Peoples' BRICS - Civil Council, which was endorsed in the Kazan Declaration of the XVI BRICS Summit (paragraph 132). The event was also supported by the BRICS Expert Council – Russia and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The competition was held in Moscow on December 18-20, 2024 and featured eight teams from seven countries: Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.
A welcoming address to the participants and guests was sent by Maxim Oreshkin, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for financial and economic cooperation with BRICS countries and interaction with the New Development Bank, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office: “Any form of discrimination in sports is unacceptable I have no doubt that this tournament will foster athletic relationships among BRICS nations and advance sports for those with special needs”. Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Yevgeny Primakov also sent an address. The Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Rodrigo de Lima Baena Soares and other guests attended the opening ceremony.
Athletes from every nation stressed the value of this inclusive competition for fostering communication, exchanging experiences, and providing a platform to demonstrate the nearly endless potential of humankind.
Closing and award ceremonies were attended by Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Russia’s Sherpa in BRICS. He emphasized the growing role of sports diplomacy as a unifying force of the international community and expressed hope that Brazil during its BRICS Chairship in 2025 will conduct the tournament as well.
The competition was held in Moscow on December 18-20, 2024 and featured eight teams from seven countries: Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.
A welcoming address to the participants and guests was sent by Maxim Oreshkin, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for financial and economic cooperation with BRICS countries and interaction with the New Development Bank, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office: “Any form of discrimination in sports is unacceptable I have no doubt that this tournament will foster athletic relationships among BRICS nations and advance sports for those with special needs”. Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Yevgeny Primakov also sent an address. The Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Rodrigo de Lima Baena Soares and other guests attended the opening ceremony.
Athletes from every nation stressed the value of this inclusive competition for fostering communication, exchanging experiences, and providing a platform to demonstrate the nearly endless potential of humankind.
Closing and award ceremonies were attended by Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Russia’s Sherpa in BRICS. He emphasized the growing role of sports diplomacy as a unifying force of the international community and expressed hope that Brazil during its BRICS Chairship in 2025 will conduct the tournament as well.
