The winners of the fifth edition of Russia’s national sports projects competition “You’re in the Game” were announced and awarded on July 1, 2025. The competition is administered by ANO National Priorities with the support of the Russian Ministry of Sport. The awards ceremony took place at the Russia National Centre, attended by the finalists, members of the competition jury and distinguished guests, including Russian Minister of Sport and President of the Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyarev, General Director of ANO National Priorities Sofia Malyavina, State Duma members Svetlana Zhurova (Olympic champion) and Mikhail Terentyev (Paralympic Champion), Olympic Champion Liliya Akhaimova, five-time Olympic synchronised swimming champion and Deputy Chairman of the Government - Minister of Sport of Kaliningrad Region Natalia Ishchenko, International-Class Master of Sports of Russia Alexey Smertin, and Honoured Journalist of Russia Dmitry Guberniev.
For five years, RIOU has served as the competition's partner, helping participants refine their projects and enhance their chances of success.
"The fifth anniversary of 'You're in the Game' is a significant milestone, and a time to take stock," said Professor Lev Belousov, RIOU Rector and full member of the Russian Academy of Education. "All five years, RIOU has been the competition's educational partner. Over 500 projects have gone through RIOU educational ‘accelerator’. While every project aims to be first, only a few reach the podium. In this context, the Olympic motto is apt: 'The most important thing is not winning but taking part.' Indeed, the opportunity to gain practical knowledge is what the majority of participants value most about this competition."
In the competition's fifth edition, 280 semi-finalists, rigorously selected from 5,582 applicants, were given a unique opportunity to attend a series of lectures on key aspects of sports project development. RIOU’s educational ‘accelerator’ provided 14 lectures and 28 academic hours, covering all relevant aspects: from digital support in project implementation to legal aspects and PR/GR communications. Special attention was given to sponsor acquisition and project scaling, as many participants face the challenges of project development at advanced stages. The educational programme offered not only theoretical knowledge but also strategic sessions analysing real-world cases. Participants reported the educational accelerator helped them develop strategies for attracting sponsors and scaling their initiatives.
The Grand Prix (1 million roubles) was given to the project "Kila - Russia's National Sport" (Moscow Region).
As part of the competition, a Public Vote was held involving the 280 semi-finalists. The winner was the School Rowing League project from Moscow, which received 30,000 points from ANO “Russia – Land of Opportunities”. The runner-up was the Football for Health festival from Kemerovo Region, whose team was awarded a certificate for one of RIOU’s short on-campus courses. The third place was taken by the Seven Winds sailing project from Ulyanovsk Region.
