Despite being sidelined from numerous international sports events because of the geopolitical tensions surrounding the Ukraine conflict, Russia is making a defiant comeback with a new and ambitious plan.
The country announced its intention to host a competition next year exclusively for members of the BRICS alliance – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Oleg Matytsin, the Russian Sports Minister, unveiled this groundbreaking initiative during the Russia-Africa Summit held in St. Petersburg.
According to Matytsin, the BRICS Games will invite athletes from the member countries to compete in a thrilling showdown to be hosted in the vibrant city of Kazan next June.
The Russian Sports Minister emphasized that these innovative competitions would bring forth 25 different disciplines, promising a grand spectacle for sports enthusiasts worldwide.
Clarifying any misconceptions, Matytsin underscored that the BRICS Games are not meant as an alternative to the Olympic Games but as a showcase of Russia's prowess and self-sufficiency as a nation.
The announcement comes with strategic timing, scheduled to take place merely a month before the commencement of the Paris Olympics.
While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had previously banned Russian and Belarusian athletes in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the IOC recently issued recommendations allowing them to return as neutrals.
This decision is yet to be finalized for the Paris Games, but IOC President Thomas Bach has voiced his stance that athletes should not be penalized for their governments' actions.
The participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals at the Hangzhou Asian Games in China further fueled the ongoing controversy.
The move was intended to provide them with an opportunity to earn points and qualify for the Paris Olympics, sparking discontent among some nations who argue against granting them a pathway to the Games.
Russia stands firm in its defense, contending that banning its athletes and denying them national symbols, such as their flag and anthem, amounts to discrimination.
In an effort to reclaim its sporting identity, the country is rallying behind its athletes' right to participate on a level playing field.
This is not the only ace up Russia's sleeve; the announcement of the BRICS Games follows Matytsin's earlier declaration of the relaunch of the multi-sport World Friendship Games next autumn.
The original competitions, organized in 1984 in the Soviet Union and other socialist states boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, carry a legacy of solidarity and camaraderie.