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The ceremony was attended by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

After the opening ceremony, the leaders toured the grounds of the international multi-sport tournament.

Games of the Future is a phygital competition combining conventional and digital sports. Its programme includes 21 disciplines from five areas such as sports, tactics, strategy, technology and speed. More than 2,000 athletes from over 100 countries will take part in the competition.

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Remarks by the President of Russia at the opening ceremony for the Games of the Future

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Participants of the tournament, foreign guests and heads of delegations, ladies and gentlemen, friends,

I am glad to welcome to Russia the pioneers of phygital sports which is an innovative format that gave rise to the name to the competition. These are indeed the Games of the Future.

The blending of tradition and the modern age, the harmonising of physical fitness and high intellect, the integration of sports and technology, education and science – a person needs all that for well-rounded development and success in our era of rapid change, and the multifaceted, multipolar, free and competitive world that is taking shape before our eyes.

It makes perfect sense that the idea to merge conventional and e-sports was born in Russia.

Our country remains one of the leading sports powerhouses on the planet, the home of great athletes, victories and records. We have always championed sport and its lofty humanistic values.

The Games of the Future are our gift to the international sports family.

Russia is also a land of outstanding scientists, designers and engineers. Their achievements opened up new horizons of knowledge for humankind, and today our research teams and companies are scaling new heights in digital technologies and the use of artificial intelligence in areas that are at the leading edge of progress.

Since time immemorial, Russia has been known for its generosity and hospitality, and it is always ready to host friends and to entertain them with a big and memorable festival, including a festival of sports.

We take pride in our ability to organise massive, dazzling international sporting events at the very highest level, many of which have been held in Kazan.

Just like the rest of Tatarstan, this city is of a piece with the substance and spirit of the Games of the Future. Unique and multiethnic, boasting a wealth of cultures and ethnicities, it reverently preserves the legacy of its ancestors, but, at the same time, remains open to innovations and boldly takes on the most complex groundbreaking projects and then brilliantly carries them out.

The sports sphere is one such example. The sports complexes and arenas that were built in Tatarstan for the world championships are widely popular with the people of all ages. They are instrumental in promoting mass sports, which are a national priority in Russia.

I am certain that phygital sports will join the list of the most popular national recreational activities in Russia. Current, captivating, dynamic, it has the potential to generate interest in physical fitness and healthy living among people of all ages and, of course, among children and young adults.

This is the unique value of the Games of the Future for us along with the core principles of sport such as solidarity of countries and peoples, equality of all athletes, fair play and giving your all.

The Games of the Future is free from politics, as well as all discrimination and double standards. I am positive that the true spirit of sports will be on display at the Games venues

Two thousand athletes from more than 100 countries will showcase their virtuosity, perseverance and will to win. This competition among the best of the best certainly promises to be a captivating event and will win the hearts of spectators, and produce bright new stars.

The international phygital tournament is a unique event in the modern history of international sports – which begins right here and now in Russia.

Godspeed!