Russia to create world best centre for training national teams - Fetisov

Russia plans to create the world best centre for training national teams in Novogorsk, Vyacheslav Fetisov, head of the federal Agency of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, said at a meeting with the Russian Olympic team in the Novogorsk training centre outside Moscow.

He said it would be an integrated complex incorporating a centre of sports medicine, an athletic range, a shooting range, wrestling halls, and a skating rink. It should be a top-quality centre that would ensure fundamentally new standards of training athletes, said Fetisov.

Other training bases, in particular the gymnastic and swimming centre at Lake Krugloye outside Moscow and the stadium in Sochi (a major Russian resort city on the Black Sea), will be modernised.

According to Fetisov, the plan of training the Russian team for the Olympics has been fulfilled. "Problems were dealt with promptly and athletes' requests were tackled with attention and understanding at all levels. Now they should show what they can do at the Olympics," said the agency head.

He pointed out that doping control will be very tight at the Athens Olympics and expressed the confidence that Russian athletes would have no problems in this sphere. He wished the 467 athletes of the national team success at the games.

By tradition, the athlete to carry the Russian flag at the opening ceremony will be chosen at the council of team captains in Athens, immediately before the beginning of the games.