MINSK, 26 June (BelTA) – More than 2,000 athletes from 18 countries have officially passed through the accreditation system to participate in the 2nd CIS Games, Belarusian Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk told foreign journalists during a visit to Dinamo Stadium in Minsk on 26 june, BelTA has learned.
According to the minister, participation in the Games has been confirmed by nine countries that took part in the 1st CIS Games in Kazan. Nine other countries, including Mongolia, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates will be represented additionally. “I think there will be much more participating countries. The format of the competition is open. Today we are in talks, because we counted on a particular number of athletes and representatives. There may be more of them. We need to make a decision and decide who to invite. More than 2,000 athletes from 18 countries have officially been accredited,” Sergei Kovalchuk said.
According to the minister, the preparations for the Games are on the home stretch: the sports facilities are brought to order and branded. The active phase kicks off on 4 July, one month before the Games. “Representatives of the participating countries are already coming. We have hosted a delegation from Uzbekistan. We are also getting ready for the opening and closing ceremonies, which are promised to be a great show as always. This time we have chosen Minsk-Arena, our largest complex that accommodates 15,600 people, to host the ceremonies,” Sergei Kovalchuk added.
When asked about the readiness of the Belarusian athletes, the minister said that a number of Belarusian teams were holding training camps, others were participating in the competitions in Russia or Belarus. “Teams representing 20 sports are getting ready for the Games,” Sergei Kovalchuk said.
