#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The program of the Fifth International Curling Tournament in 2021 included two sports sessions. It was about the development of mass sports and its role in countering the viral threat. Dmitry Pristanskov, Nornickel’s vice president, spoke about the company’s experience at the business session Sport Against COVID-19: A New Mission and Development Strategy.
According to him, the location of the Arctic Cup was not chosen by chance.
“From the moment we started holding the curling championship in Dudinka, people recognized it on the world map. Around this territory, a small northern port, tourist and sports infrastructure began to form. There was nothing there before. We financed the construction of the ice rink, purchased equipment, brought coaches and, together with the Russian Curling Federation, began to hold the northernmost International Arctic Cup there. The arrival of real Olympic champions in Dudinka in a difficult epidemic situation became possible thanks to Nornickel. For the company, sport is not about money. It’s about support, development and opportunities”, Dmitry Pristanskov emphasized.
Leisure and the opportunity to play sports for people are no less important than the high salary, which is higher than the average for Nornickel.
“We annually invest more than four billion rubles in social projects and sports”, the company representative quoted the figures. “At the end of last year, we opened the Aika physical culture and sports complex. This is a unique complex built in permafrost conditions. Thanks to the company, the northernmost water park appeared in Norilsk. We provide support to children and youth sports – recently a new agreement was signed with the Russian Football Union on the joint implementation of the Nasha Smena projects. The company will develop and maintain 67 children’s sports centers in Russia, as well as 11 regional sports football centers of the Russian Football Union”.
Despite the difficult situation associated with the spread of coronavirus infection, the company continues to support the professional basketball club CSKA.
“We are partners of the Russian Olympic Committee”, reminded the Nornickel representative. “For the last three years, we have supported the professional sports club CSKA in rugby – and the women’s team took the Russian Cup, now leading in the 2020/21 Russian championship. Covid did not in the least influence the company’s desire to invest in professional, mass, corporate and youth sports. Moreover, even during the pandemic, we tested online sports and launched a number of such digital projects in this area”.
Follow us on Telegram, Instagram and Facebook.
Text: Elena Popova, Photo: Nikolay Shchipko and roscongress.org
