The Hungarian and Russian Olympic Committees (ROC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Budapest, where the FIE World Fencing Championships is currently taking place. Signatories of the partnership agreement were HOC President Krisztián Kulcsár and ROC President Stanislav Pozdnyakov who also looked back on a friendship spanning more than a decade as both of them are Olympic medallists and World Champion fencers.
The co-operation includes mutual training camps, coach training and the delegation of sport judges.
"Russia is a sport powerhouse, they have one of the strongest Olympic teams in the world, taking on a leadership role in several sports. With the Memorandum signed today we open the doors to Hungarian federations, offering co-operation in several areas. A partnership is only good however, if it is mutual. We have sports in which the Russians could learn from us", explained Krisztián Kulcsár who also added that today's agreement has been in the works for a long time.
The HOC President also reminisced that the two countries have been friends in sport for over a century, as it all began in 1894 with the foundation of the International Olympic Committee, where Ferenc Kemény and Lieutenant general Oleksiy Dmytrovych Butovsky were also present.
As an "extra touch" of friendship Krisztián Kulcsár emphasized that the two sport leaders are members of the same generation and they competed in the same sport, although in different disciplines. And now they are partners at the helm of their respective NOCs. Common features in their careers include when Krisztián Kulcsár became World Champion in épée, while Stanislav Pozdnyakov triumphed in sabre in 2007. Moreover, they won a team World Championship title in 2001.
Pozdnyakov who is staying in Budapest for the World Fencing Championships as President of the European Fencing Federation was given a World Fair Play Award by the also fencer and President of the International Fair Play Committee Dr. Jenő Kamuti a couple of weeks ago.
"It is a great pleasure of mine that I can be with the fencing and the Olympic family as well by signing this Memorandum", said the ROC President who also expressed his thanks to the Hungarians, the HOC and Krisztián Kulcsár.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov emphasized that they were ready to share information with their Hungarian counterparts and to organize programmes together, the beneficiaries of which would be the members of the Olympic family. "We can share our expertise in the fields of sport administration, sport disciplines and organising major sporting events", said the Russian sport leader.
Many high-ranking sport leaders attended Thursday’s press conference, for example Czech Olympic Committee Vice President Roman Kumpost, Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee President and Olympic Champion fencer Mihail Covaliu, IOC member and Olympic Champion pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, IOC member and Olympic Champion épée fencer Britta Heidemann, French National Olympic and Sports Committee Secretary-General Jean-Michel Brun and FIE Secretary-General Emmanuel Katsiadakis. Hungarian representatives such as IOC member Dániel Gyurta, IOC member and HOC Honorary President Schmitt Pál, HOC Secretary-General Bálint Vékássy and HOC Ambassador Georg von Habsburg were there during the signing ceremony as well.
In previous years the Hungarian Olympic Committee also signed partnership agreements with the Algerian, Australian, Czech, Polish, Taiwanese and Vietnamese NOCs.
(HOC, photo: HOC/Péter Szalmás)