JOINT STATEMENT

by the BRICS Sports Ministers

within the framework of the Chairship of the Russian Federation in BRICS

22 June 2024, Kazan

The BRICS Sports Ministers Meeting was held on June 22, 2024, in Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation). The meeting was attended by representatives from the Russian Federation, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the People’s Republic of China, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of India, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The meeting was conducted in an atmosphere of friendship, respect, and mutual understanding under the chairmanship of the Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Degtyarev.

1. Best practices for the development of physical culture and sports in the BRICS countries

The sides exchanged views on the development of physical culture and sports in the BRICS Member States, including state management of sports, development of mass, youth, school, and student sports, high-priority sports, parasport, national, and traditional sports. They reviewed the current state of the sports industry, scientific, methodological, and biomedical support for sports, as well as measures taken to develop the field of physical culture and sports, including for people with disabilities.

The parties discussed prospects for cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports in the BRICS Member States through the exchange of experience and joint sports events and competitions. They shared their experience in organizing and holding mass sports events between the interested parties.

The parties noted the importance of holding scientific and educational forums, meetings, conferences, seminars/webinars, and other events on the issues of development of physical culture and sports in BRICS, as well as training, refresher training, and exchange of coaches and pedagogical-scientific staff in the field of physical culture and sports, including specialists in the field of sports medicine.

The parties noted the importance of popularizing national and traditional sports in BRICS.

Resolved:

1.1. To be guided by the BRICS spirit featuring mutual respect and understanding, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus.
1.2. To take into consideration information received from representatives of the sports authorities of the BRICS countries on the current state of the physical culture and sports industry in the BRICS Member States.
1.3. To recognize the necessity for joint training, sports events, meetings, conferences, seminars in the field of sports science and sports medicine, sports exchanges of coaches, specialists, and athletes in order to strengthen cooperation, including mass sports, school sports, high-priority sports, sports industry, sports science, sports medicine, and fighting with doping.
1.4. To note the importance of holding annual Meetings of BRICS Sports Ministers in consonance with the rotating chairship in BRICS.
1.5. To emphasize an active work of the Joint Working Group established following the BRICS Sports Ministers Meeting on June 22, 2023, in Durban (South Africa).
1.6. To recognize the importance of the Joint Working Group in BRICS Games preparation in the period between BRICS Sports Ministers Meetings.
1.7. To continue working on the draft of the BRICS Sports Cooperation Framework, developed by the Russian Federation, within the framework of the Joint Working Group taking into consideration opinions of the Member States.
1.8. To work on cooperation among the Sport Authorities of United Arab Emirates, Arab Republic of Egypt, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Islamic Republic of Iran on updating the Memorandum of understanding between Ministry of Citizenship of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Republic of India, General Administration of Sport of the People’s Republic of China, and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture of the Republic of South Africa on cooperation in the field of physical culture and sport.

2. Results of the BRICS Sports Games 2024 in Kazan and further prospects of joint sports projects.

The sides exchanged views on competition results of sports teams of participating countries in BRICS Sports Games. The parties noted the professional level of organization of the BRICS Sports Games in Kazan in 2024, widely covered in the media.

The parties recognized the success of the BRICS Sports Games held in Kazan and confirmed the necessity to create new formats of sports events and competitions in the BRICS.

Resolved:

2.1. To take note of the information and presentation on the results of the BRICS Sports Games which were attended by more than 80 countries in 27 sports disciplines.
2.2. To recognize the successful holding of the BRICS Sports Games within the frameworks of the  Chairship of the Russian Federation in BRICS, held in Kazan.
2.3. To consider the proposals to create and develop new sports projects in BRICS, such as exploring the development of the BRICS Marathon League. To consider the possibility of including the marathons of the BRICS countries in the BRICS Marathon League.
2.4. To encourage discussions on the possibilities of including e-sports in BRICS joint sport events and competitions according to the rules and regulations of each BRICS country.
2.5. To hold the next BRICS Sports Ministers Meeting in the Federative Republic of Brazil as part of its Chairship in BRICS in 2025.

This Joint Statement reflects the commitment of the BRICS Sports Ministers to strengthen cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports and to promote the development of sports in their respective countries and within the BRICS framework. The Ministers express their gratitude to the Russian Federation for hosting the BRICS Sports Ministers Meeting and for its leadership in advancing sports cooperation among the BRICS nations.

Done in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, on the 22nd day of June, 2024.

For the Russian Federation:  
Mikhail Degtyarev, Minister of Sport

For the Republic of South Africa:  
Nocawe Mafu, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture

For the United Arab Emirates:  
Saeed Al Naboodah, Minister of State for Youth Affairs

For the Federative Republic of Brazil:  
André Luiz de Almeida Mendonça, Minister of Sports

For the People’s Republic of China:  
Gao Zhidan, Minister of Sports

For the Arab Republic of Egypt:  
Ashraf Sobhi, Minister of Youth and Sports

For the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia:  
Her Excellency Fikadu Tessema, Minister of Youth and Sports

For the Republic of India:  
Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports

For the Islamic Republic of Iran:  
Hassan Rouhani, President (represented by the Minister of Sports and Youth)