On February 18, 2011 in Sochi the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) with the support of the Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation within the training «Sport as a stimulus of social changes in the region» familiarized North Caucasus Federal District (NCFD) sport executives with the activities of Alexander Karelin Center of Sport Preparation. The three-time olympic champion in Greek-Roman wrestling, RF State Duma deputy, Hero of Russia Alexander Karelin said about the possibilities of the Center established in 2004. In 2008 a new sport complex was opened in the Center with the total area of 1500 square meters, which can provide necessary conditions for keeping training camps of 10 teams at the same time. According to Alexander Karelin, it was this Center where our Athens and Beijing olympic champions were trained. There is all the necessary infrastructure here for successful training process, the current methods and programmes used.
Besides, the participants of the RIOU training visited the objects of mountain and coastal clusters of future Olympic Games which are being built at the moment. NCFD representatives were impressed by the volumes and tempo of olympic objects construction. Some of them, for example the mountain skiing complex «Rosa Khutor», are being checked at the moment with the European Cup competitions. Today «Rosa Khutor» is an olympic complex for staging competitions of mountain skiing disciplines: alpine skiing, alpine skiing and slalom, giant slalom and super giant slalom. This is the only ski track in Russia at the moment which is certified by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Summarizing the results of the training, RIOU CEO Professor Lev Belousov said that all the goals had been achieved, the participants got the opportunity of experience exchange, acquired new skills and knowledge which will help them in their future work.
26 sport and physical culture executives took part in the training – representatives of the Republic of Ingushetia, Dagestan, North Ossetia – Alania, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkess and Chechen Republics, and also Stavropol Region.
The training was conducted within RIOU special programme of further education for regional sport executives. The programme is to be realized in 2011 for all federal districts of Russia.
The Russian International Olympic University was established on June 10, 2009 under the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. The RIOU main goals are to educate the highly qualified staff for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Sochi Games in 2014, to prepare major international sporting events in Russia and all over the world, as well as to keep and improve Games legacy.
