MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Russia's decision to fight for its athletes' right to compete internationally is paying off, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
"The overall policy course pursued by the Ministry of Sports, our sports authorities and the [International] Olympic Committee to defend the interests of our federations painstakingly, patiently and through professional dialogue is justified," Peskov said in an interview with Rossiya-24 TV channel commenting on the World Chess Federation’s (FIDE) reinstatement of Russia.
"We are in a gradual fight against all politicized manifestations of sports, we hear reciprocal responses from the IOC, and more of our federations are fully reinstated on the global sports arena," he said.
Peskov emphasized that "this is a welcome process that can only be supported."
"We can only laud our athletes, because it is definitely nearly impossible to keep yourself at the top level in professional sports without competing at the global level," he said.
