Russia and U.S. revive athletic rivalry

The Russia Invitational track and field meet on September 5 in Luzhniki will revive the tradition of holding great matches between the United States and the Soviet Union, Vladimir Vasin, the first deputy head of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism, said at a press conference about the meet on Monday.

According to him, from 1958 to 1982, the United States and the Soviet Union competed against each other in 18 track and field meets, of which the Soviet team won 14, lost 3, and tied 1.

Since 1982, there has not been a similar meeting between the two track and field powers.

"The main idea behind this tournament is that both American and Russian athletes arrive in Moscow directly from the Olympic Games in Athens," Valentine Balahnichev, the president of the All-Russia Federation of Track and Field, said. According to him, only members of the American and Russian Olympic teams will compete in the meet.

In his opinion, Russia Invitational will be good opportunity for the fans who could not go to the Olympics in Athens to see the stars of the Games in Moscow. There will be 20 events in the meet: 9 men's events and 11 women's events. Dmitri Chernyshenko, one of the organizers, said that similar hockey and boxing events between the United States and Russia were planned.