Manager of the AMC Fight Nights League Kamil Gadjiev told that he hopes to cooperate with the new Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Degtyarev, noting that the department previously practically did not participate in the development of mixed martial arts in Russia.
Last week, Degtyarev was confirmed as Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation, replacing Oleg Matytsin.
— Could you have crossed paths with Degtyarev when you were playing hockey in the Far East?
— No, I worked in Vladivostok. He and I went to hockey in Moscow, in the national team or in CSKA – SKA.
I think with the arrival of a new person, there should be some kind of impetus in development. What have I observed in recent years under Matytsin? MMA moved and continued to develop, but the ministry, it seems to me, was not particularly involved in it. Now a new person has arrived and we want to discuss with him the prospects for the development of martial arts. Maybe with the new minister, MMA will have another chance.
— It just seems that the ministry is focusing more on Olympic and team sports.
— Yes, yes, and under Matytsin, this opinion was strengthened. Although he attended Mineev’s fight in Moscow. He came by personal invitation and supported Mineev in the fight against Rodriguez. But nothing followed. In general, I always had the feeling that the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation does not even know what is happening in MMA in general. Well, there are, and okay, they’re doing something about it themselves. Fedor Emelianenko, at Vitaly Mutko’s Ministry of Sports, was an advisor in charge of martial arts. Then I thought that some kind of vector of development would appear. But Fedor stayed and then decided to continue his career.
— What type of cooperation would you like to receive from the Ministry of Sports? What do you need help or attention for?
— Perhaps programs that will allow us, with the ministry, to open gymnasiums where people can, for example, practice martial arts for free. Today there are fewer and fewer rooms of this type. Consider our Soviet past. The question of paying for martial arts classes was not even raised. It is therefore possible to develop and implement a program for opening rooms. It seems to me that this is our common long-term goal.
Now I could tell a story about organizing tournaments with state money and so on. But it’s the simplest thing that can come to mind. And why should the state suddenly start providing such assistance to this or that promotion? It’s illogical. But by opening gyms, we are working for the whole country, for all, if you like, promotions, for all combat sports, for the betterment of the nation. If today I found myself at the same table with the new Minister of Sports and he asked me what should be done, I would say: “Let’s open free sports halls throughout the country,” Gadjiev told .
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Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
