World Friendship Games

As a result of an ongoing doping scandal and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been excluded from almost every sporting competition, and Russian athletes have been unable to use their national symbols at international sporting events, which also includes the Olympics, which have only allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the 2024 summer Olympics as Individual Neutral Athletes.{{Cite web |title=Pride and propaganda: Russia’s reimagined sports world |url=https://www.playthegame.org/news/pride-and-propaganda-russia-s-reimagined-sports-world/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=www.playthegame.org |language=en-US}} In response, the Russian government announced its intent to organize competitions for the country's top athletes with the possibility for other countries to participate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1136610/russia-plan-world-friendship-games-2024|title=History repeats itself as Russia reveals plans to launch World Friendship Games|date=3 May 2023|website=www.insidethegames.biz}}

In May 2023, Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin confirmed Russia will host the second edition of Friendship Games in 2024, shortly after the Summer Olympics in Paris. The first edition was hosted by the Soviet Union in Moscow as a substitute for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which it boycotted.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-launch-friendship-games-after-40-year-gap-sports-minister-2023-05-04/ |title=Russia to launch Friendship Games after 40-year gap, sports minister says |author= |date=4 May 2023 |website=www.reuters.com |publisher=Reuters |access-date=16 September 2023|quote=}}{{cite web |date=3 May 2023 |title=History repeats itself as Russia reveals plans to launch World Friendship Games in 2024|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1136610/russia-plan-world-friendship-games-2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514062010/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1136610/russia-plan-world-friendship-games-2024 |archive-date=14 May 2023 |access-date=3 May 2023 |website=Inside the Games}}{{cite web |date=4 May 2023 |title=Russia to launch Friendship Games after 40-year gap, sports minister says|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-launch-friendship-games-after-40-year-gap-sports-minister-2023-05-04/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105232708/https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-launch-friendship-games-after-40-year-gap-sports-minister-2023-05-04/ |archive-date=5 November 2023 |access-date=4 May 2023 |website=Reuters}}{{cite web |date=4 May 2023 |title=Russia announces plans to stage 'World Friendship Games' after 2024 Olympics|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/65480691 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920135252/https://www.bbc.com/sport/65480691 |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=4 May 2023 |website=BBC}} The Organizing Committee of the Games was formed in October 2023. In addition to winning medals, athletes will receive cash prizes. The total prize money offered amounts to 4.6 billion Russian rubles (approximately US$49 million).{{cite web |date=19 October 2023 |title=2024 World Friendship Games to be hosted by Moscow, Yekaterinburg |url=https://tass.com/politics/1693701 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020174646/https://tass.com/politics/1693701 |archive-date=20 October 2023 |access-date=19 October 2023 |website=TASS}}{{cite web |date=19 October 2023 |title=Russia counters Paris 2024 with its own Games |url=https://www.marca.com/en/olympic-games/2023/10/19/6531697ee2704eecae8b45c8.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107180021/https://www.marca.com/en/olympic-games/2023/10/19/6531697ee2704eecae8b45c8.html |archive-date=7 November 2023 |access-date=19 October 2023 |website=Marca}}{{cite web |date=27 July 2023 |title=Russia inviting 4 nations to world event just before Olympics|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/38080094/russia-inviting-4-nations-world-event-just-olympics |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803091858/https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/38080094/russia-inviting-4-nations-world-event-just-olympics |archive-date=3 August 2023 |access-date=27 July 2023 |website=ESPN}}

On 2 July 2024, it was announced that the games will be postponed until 2025. In August 2024 the games were postponed for a second time to either late 2025 or 2026.https://www.francsjeux.com/en/short/the-games-of-friendship-towards-a-new-postponement/

On November 14, 2023, the IOC, represented by James Macleod, director of relations with National Olympic Committees, made recommendations to the committees regarding possible participation in the competitions:{{cite web |date=14 November 2023 |title=IOC and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations caution about World Friendship Games |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1142485/noc-asoif-cautioned-friendship-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118172051/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1142485/noc-asoif-cautioned-friendship-games |archive-date=18 November 2023 |access-date=14 November 2023 |website=Inside The Games}}

{{blockquote|Considering the increasing politicization of world sport, we would ask that all NOCs exercise caution with respect to this initiative. Indeed, any NOC involvement in the World Friendship Games would not only go against the IOC EB's recommendation of 25 February 2022 with respect to international sporting events being held in Russia but also against the Olympic Movement's collective aim of maintaining the independence and autonomy of sport.}}

The Organizing Committee of the 2024 World Friendship Games responded to the IOC statement, noting that the purpose of the upcoming Games was never either confrontation with the IOC or the creation of competitions in opposition to the Olympic movement.{{cite web |date=15 November 2023 |title=World Friendship Games organizers never wanted to do battle with IOC |url=https://tass.com/sports/1706727 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119001126/https://tass.com/sports/1706727 |archive-date=19 November 2023 |access-date=15 November 2023 |website=TASS}}{{cite web |date=16 November 2023 |title=Moscow responds to the IOC |url=https://www.francsjeux.com/breves/moscow-responds-to-the-ioc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122114617/https://www.francsjeux.com/breves/moscow-responds-to-the-ioc |archive-date=22 November 2023 |access-date=16 November 2023 |website=francsjeux}}

On November 21, 2023, the Games were discussed at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. IOC president Thomas Bach said it was too early to talk about the consequences of the Games, but different options were being considered.{{cite web |date=21 November 2023 |title=IOC chief says it's too early to talk about sanctions for taking part in Friendship Games |url=https://tass.com/sports/1709775|website=TASS}}

Russian deputy permanent representative at the UN {{ill|Maria Zabolotskaya|ru|Заболоцкая, Мария Степановна}} spoke about the inadmissibility of any discrimination against athletes at competitions and invited the world to the Friendship Games.{{cite web |date=21 November 2023 |title=Russia and IOC clash at the UN before member states pass Olympic Truce for Paris Games |url=https://apnews.com/article/olympic-truce-paris-ioc-un-russia-77121ad0b700b2d6d6a27f2ce5f60631/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122135643/https://apnews.com/article/olympic-truce-paris-ioc-un-russia-77121ad0b700b2d6d6a27f2ce5f60631 |archive-date=22 November 2023 |access-date=21 November 2023 |website=The Associated Press}}{{cite news |date=21 November 2023 |title=Russia and IOC clash at the UN before member states pass Olympic Truce for Paris Games|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2023/11/21/olympic-truce-paris-ioc-un-russia/d4088f92-88b5-11ee-a36e-fdb7be9bd43d_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

In March 2024, IOC president Thomas Bach urged a boycott of Russia's planned 'Friendship Games' and labelled the event a "cynical attempt" by the country to "politicize sport":{{cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2024-03-19/olympic-committee-urges-boycott-of-russias-friendship-games|title=Olympic committee calls Russia's 'Friendship Games' a 'cynical attempt to politicise sport'|work=ITV News|date=19 March 2024|accessdate=22 March 2024}} this caused the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, to launch a personal attack on Bach, accusing him and the IOC of "slipping into racism and neo-Nazism".{{cite web|author1=Agence France Presse|title=Russia Accuses IOC Of 'Racism And Neo-Nazism'|url=https://www.barrons.com/news/russia-accuses-ioc-of-racism-and-neo-nazism-e3763c6d|website=Barron's|access-date=8 May 2024|date=20 March 2024}}{{cite news|title=Olympic Games 2024: IOC criticises 'extremely aggressive' Russian claims|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/68621940|access-date=8 May 2024|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=20 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405081908/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/68621940|archive-date=5 April 2024|location=London|language=en-gb}}

The logo of the 2024 World Friendship Games was presented in Saint Petersburg as part of the Russia-Africa summit, which took place from 27 to 28 July 2023.{{cite web |date=27 July 2023 |title=Оргкомитет Всемирных игр дружбы представил логотип турнира|trans-title=The organizing committee of the World Friendship Games presented the tournament logo |url=https://rsport.ria.ru/20230727/igry_druzhby-1886639802.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814065347/https://rsport.ria.ru/20230727/igry_druzhby-1886639802.html |archive-date=14 August 2023 |access-date=27 August 2023 |website=rsport.ria |language=ru}}{{cite web |date=20 July 2023 |title=Sports at the Russia–Africa Forum: World Friendship Games, a race and football stars|url=https://summitafrica.ru/en/news/sport-na-forume-rossija-afrika-vsemirnye-igry-druzhby-zabeg-i-zvezdy-futbola/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722214555/https://summitafrica.ru/en/news/sport-na-forume-rossija-afrika-vsemirnye-igry-druzhby-zabeg-i-zvezdy-futbola/ |archive-date=22 July 2023 |access-date=20 July 2023 |website=Summitafrica}} The logo depicts two white hands clasped across a globe.{{cite web|url=https://ru.wfg2024.com/|title=Всемирные Игры Дружбы|language=ru}}

The games mascot, a tiger, named Dobryak was unveiled on 5 March 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://wfg2024.com/news/detail/tigr-stal-talismanom-vsemirnykh-igr-druzhby-2024/|title=Тигр стал Талисманом Всемирных Игр Дружбы 2024|date=5 March 2024|website=wfg2024.com}}

File:LuzhnikiStadium.jpg in Moscow]]

Most of the sports programme, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies, will take place in Moscow.

All competitions in Yekaterinburg will be held at existing sports facilities; the construction of new facilities is not planned.{{cite web |date=19 October 2023 |title=World Friendship Games to be hosted by Moscow, Yekaterinburg in 2024 - decree |url=https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/95658/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122120754/https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/95658/ |archive-date=22 November 2023 |access-date=19 October 2023 |website=interfax}}

According to Infobae on 28 March 2024, Alexey Sorokin (the director general of the World Friendship Games Organizing Committee) claimed that athletes from "at least" 70 nations might participate.{{cite news|title=The Friendship Games organized against Russia against the IOC will have the participation of 70 countries|url=https://www.infobae.com/aroundtherings/articles/2024/03/28/the-friendship-games-organized-against-russia-against-the-ioc-will-have-the-participation-of-70-countries|access-date=14 April 2024|work=Around the Rings|publisher=Infobae|date=28 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240406060703/https://www.infobae.com/aroundtherings/articles/2024/03/28/the-friendship-games-organized-against-russia-against-the-ioc-will-have-the-participation-of-70-countries|archive-date=6 April 2024|location=Buenos Aires|language=en-US}} On 22 April 2024, HuffPost noted Russian media claims that 5,500 participants would take part in the 2024 World Friendship Games, compared to the maximum quota of 10,500 in Paris.{{cite news|last1=Nicholson|first1=Kate|title=Putin Is Pressing Ahead With His 'World Friendship Games' After Being Frozen Out Of The Olympics|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/vladimir-putin-world-friendship-games_uk_6625156be4b0167f7bf557b8|access-date=8 May 2024|work=Huffpost|publisher=BuzzFeed|date=22 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422153207/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/vladimir-putin-world-friendship-games_uk_6625156be4b0167f7bf557b8|archive-date=22 April 2024|location=New York City|language=en-gb}}{{cite web |last=Iveson |first=Ali |date=10 August 2021 |title=ICC forms Olympic Working Group to prepare bid for Los Angeles 2028 inclusion |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1111484/icc-olympic-working-group |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810102740/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1111484/icc-olympic-working-group |archive-date=10 August 2021 |access-date=12 August 2021 |website=Inside the Games}}

At the time of postponement, the organizers claimed to have received applications from 2,500 athletes from 127 countries: however, Belarusian sports journalist Dmitri Navosha told The New York Times on 25 July 2024 that the postponement was "a sign" that the organizers were not attracting enough countries.{{cite news|last1=Hopkins|first1=Valerie|title=Kremlin Uses Olympic Ban as Another Arrow to Shoot at the West|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/world/europe/russia-olympic-ban-athletes-putin.html|access-date=25 July 2024|work=The New York Times|date=25 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725135424/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/world/europe/russia-olympic-ban-athletes-putin.html|archive-date=25 July 2024|location=New York City|language=en-us}}

The sports programme will include 33 sports:

Moscow:

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• Acrobatic rock 'n' roll
• Archery
• Artistic gymnastics
• Badminton
• Basketball (Men, 3x3)
• Beach handball
• Beach soccer
• Beach volleyball

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• Boxing
• Break dancing
• Canoe slalom
• Chess
• Competitive programming
• Cycling
• Diving (High Diving)

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• Equestrian sports
• Fencing
• Karate
• Padel
• Rhythmic gymnastics
• Sambo
• Skateboarding

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• Sport climbing
• Table tennis
• Taekwondo
• Triathlon
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

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Yekaterinburg:

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• Artistic swimming
• Athletics

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• Basketball (Women)
• Diving

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• Judo
• Jujutsu

{{col-4}}

• Mixed martial arts
• Swimming

{{col-end}}

In addition, mas-wrestling and sumo will be held as demonstration sports.{{cite web |date=29 November 2023 |title=Оргкомитет одобрил спортивную программу Всемирных Игры Дружбы|trans-title=The Organizing Committee approved the sports program of the World Friendship Games |url=https://games2024.ru/tpost/j9g9di2031-orgkomitet-odobril-sportivnuyu-programmu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204090355/https://games2024.ru/tpost/j9g9di2031-orgkomitet-odobril-sportivnuyu-programmu |archive-date=4 December 2023 |website=games2024.ru |language=ru}}

• Games of the Future – in Kazan, Russia from 21 February to 3 March 2024.
• 2024 BRICS Games – in Kazan, Russia from 11 to 24 June 2024.
• University International Sports Festival – in Yekaterinburg, Russia from 19 August 2023 to 31 August 2023.

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.wfgames.org/ Official website of the World Friendship Games]

{{Olympic Games controversies}}

Category:Sports competitions

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Category:International sports competitions hosted by Russia

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