MINSK, 6 August (BelTA) – African and Latin American countries are also interested in taking part in the CIS Games, Belarusian Sport and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk told a press conference on 6 August, BelTA has learned.
“Many countries have already compiled competition calendars for the year. Getting ready for the event, we were preparing infrastructure, accommodation for a certain number of people. Any large-scale event should be held taking into account preliminary preparations. It is very difficult to host the Games in 11 cities. If we had invited African countries, there would have been many more participants. I talked to the sport ministers of Mongolia, Pakistan, Cuba and Brazil. They said they would have sent even more representative delegations if we had told them about the event at least six months in advance,” the sport and Tourism minister said.
Sergei Kovalchuk emphasized that the interest in the Games is great worldwide. “Countries outside the CIS are ready to participate in the Games. Everyone sees what is happening with the Olympic movement. The format of our Games is relevant,” Sergei Kovalchuk said.
