Svetlana Ishmuratova: I agree with Yury Luzhkov: it is great that we have “The Russian Olympians Founndations”, but we need to issue legislatively the life-long pensions for the medalists of the Olympic Games

On June, 11, The Major of Moscow Yury Luzhkov met with the members of the RF State Duma - the members of the committee of physical culture and sports, and also Olympic champions from other committees. The deputy of the RF State Duma,  two-times Olympic champion Svetlana Ishmuratova told about some details of the meeting and suggestions of Yury Luzhkov on further development of physical culture and sports in Russia to the Agency of sport information “All Sport”.

“The meeting of the deputies with Yury Luzhkov was held in initiative of the Major, - Svetlana Ishmuratova detalised. - The managers of  Moscow sport also took part in the meeting - the head of the Moscomsport Michael Stepanyanz, his first assistant Yury Nagornykh and General director of “Luzhniki” Vladimir Aleshin. But, I would name the event not the meeting, but the conversation, and in some extent even brain storm. The conversation turned out to be informal, really detailed and very concrete and I don’t doubt that it was useful for everybody. With all the others, Yury Luzhkov raised the question of organizing of the sport activity and social protection of athletes on the state level, and he asked: “Who and what must do? Who and for what must be responsible?” And he expressed his opinion: the subjects of the RF must be responsible for propaganda of health style of life and physical culture, development of children and youth sports, and the federal center must be responsible for professional sports, preparation of national and Olympic teams. I think this question isn’t so unequivocal. Well, there are such regions as, for example, Moscow and Moscow region, where the leaders find it very important to build sport grounds in the yards, opening of children-youth schools, and so on. But some Governors don’t pay any attention to these problems. It means, that some control, direction from the center should exist. And then Yury Luzhkov addressed to us with another request: to issue legislatively the life-long pensions for all the medalists of the Olympic Games. Yes, the winners of the Games receive the grants of the RF President - 15 000 rubles, silver and bronze Olympic medalists, who reach the retirement age, for quite some time, have been the grants’ receipients of “The Russian Olympians Foundation”. But, certainly, we must solve the problem of social protection of veterans, who with success represented our country at the big official competitions, on a substantial scale. For the moment I work at the project of law “About the professional sports”, meet with active and former athletes, coaches, and I know how important it is, even necessary for life. It is shame to admit, but the medalists of the Olympic Games, champions and World record holders hardly make ends meet, some of them died in poverty. The separate chapter will, probably, be made in the law project of maintenance of social guaranties, and I will for sure use there the initiative of the Major of Moscow”.