Press Release
AT "SPORTSHOW'4" IN BRIEF
The festive opening ceremony of the First International Exhibition SPORTSHOW'4 took place on March 31, 2004. The symbolic ribbon was cut by the Head of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, the legendary hockey player Vyacheslav Fetisov. In his address he expressed hope that the exhibition would help to raise professional, mass and children's sport to the appropriate level, as well as assist in promoting the creation of a civilised sport industry in Russia.
Each of the exhibition days had its own name and, accordingly, its programme of events. Thus, the first day was named The Day of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism. It was devoted to prospects of sport development in Russia.
The second day was The Day of the Russian Olympic Committee. Among other events, there was a meeting with mass media representatives, at which the heads of the Russian Olympic Committee told the journalists about the preparations of the Russian national team for 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
On the third day the absolute master of the show was The Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of the Moscow Government. The leading topic of the day was the development of Moscow sport infrastructure, the location and construction of sports objects in accordance with the city programme for the period of up to 2010. The Moscow exhibits were devoted to the development of mass sport in the city, to the city programme "My Yard is a Sport Yard" and to the development of children's sport in each of 125 municipal districts of the capital.
The fourth (final) day of the exhibition was devoted to master classes. They were given by the world-famous masters Mariya Butyrskaya, Shamil Tarpishchev and Vyacheslav Fetisov, the Head of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism. The master of ceremonies at the show gala closing was Viktor Gusev, a well-known sports commentator and the presenter of "At Football" TV programme.
Among the show honorary guests were the 1st Vice-President of the Russian Olympic Committee Vladimir Vasin; the 1st Vice-President of the ROC Gennady Alyoshin; the Head of the Ministry for Civil Defence and Emergencies of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoygu; the Chair of the Physical Culture and Sport of the State Duma Vladimir Goryunov; Deputy Chair of the State Duma Security Committee Mikhail Grishankov; a Member of the Council for Physical Culture and Sport under the President of Russia and President of Tennis Federation of Russia Shamil Tarpishchev; the Chair of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of the Moscow Government Sergey Korol; Deputy Chair of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of the Moscow Government Lev Kofman; the Chair of the Youth Affairs and Sports Commission of the Federation Council Yefim Kerpelman; Deputy Chair of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of the Moscow Government Mikhail Potatuev, as well as many distinguished athletes, including a legendary figure skater, a 3 times Olympic Champion Irina Rodnina; а б times Olympic Champion in skating Lidiya Skoblikova; a multiple World Champion in callisthenics Alina Kabaeva, other famous athletes, trainers, sports journalists, sport figures.
During the closing ceremony the Head of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism Vyacheslav Fetisov thanked all the participants of the exhibition, stressed that the exhibition was organised on the highest level and invited everybody to the 2005 exhibition. Accompanied by a salute the banner SPORTSHOW'4 on the gala stage was replaced by SPORTSHOW'5.