UEFA asks Germany to hold championship in 2012
The European Federation of Football Associations, UEFA, urged the German football union to prepare Germany to stage Euro-2012. The request came after a visit to the Ukraine of UEFA inspectors. The Ukraine and Poland were expected to stage the Euro-2012 together. The report by the inspectors expressed concern over the political situation in the country and calls in question the ability of Kiev to build stadiums and transport infrastructure.
22 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29960&cid=52&p=22.07.2008 (in English)
Editor’s Note:
The Ukrainians drop the ball, yet again. Combining this with Angela Merkel giving Yushchenko a “Dutch Uncle talk” on her recent visit, the opposition of France and Germany to the Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and the introduction of bread-coupons this fall (in a region that was the bread-basket of the empire and USSR!), it looks like Yushchenko is going down for the count. That is why he may do something stupid…
New ski resort in Siberia
A new all-season ski resort shall open in Siberia in January 2009. The tourist centre “Manzherok” on Mount Sinukha in the Altai Republic offers ski trails of different complexity ranks with a length of 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) and 4 lifts.
23 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30019&cid=87&p=23.07.2008 (in English)
Russia may increase prizes for Olympic gold-winners
Russia may increase its prizes to its Olympic gold-medal-winners from 50,000 dollars (1.168 million roubles. 31,835 euros. 25,085 UK pounds) to 100,000 euros (3.67 million roubles. 157,060 USD. 78,797 UK pounds). National Olympic Committee President Leonid Tyagachov believes that the move will stimulate the athletes’ desire to win. Russia hopes to take about 80 medals during the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
24 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30060&cid=52&p=24.07.2008 (in English)
Russian adventures to overfly Mount Elbrus in hot-air balloon
Russian adventures started preparations for a daring adventure to overfly Mount Elbrus on a three-ton hot air balloon. The flight is to take place before September. At 5,642 metres (18,510 feet), Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Europe. It towers over the Main Caucasus Range close to Russia’s border with Georgia.
25 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30137&cid=52&p=25.07.2008 (in English)
Antarctic sailing feat honoured
Fyodor Konyukhov, Russian yachtsman and adventurer
The World Sailing Speed Record Council has registered a groundbreaking event in sailing around the Antarctic region. The 102 day, 1 hour, 35 minute and fifty second record was set by a Russian adventurer, Fyodor Konyukhov. The World Sailing Speed Record Council brings together representatives of Australia, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
25 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30117&cid=87&p=25.07.2008 (in English)
Voice of Russia World Service
Valuev to fight Ruiz for WBA title in Berlin on 30 August
Nikolai Valuev (1973- ), “The Beast from the East”, Russian heavyweight boxing champion
Russia’s Nikolai Valuev is to fight John Ruiz for the vacant WBA heavyweight title in Berlin on 30 August 30, the Russian boxer said on his website on Tuesday. The right to promote the fight was won by Sauerland Event with an offer of 2,106,401 dollars (49,230,804 roubles. 1,341,145 euros. 1,056,781 UK pounds). “Berlin is very special to me. That is where I defeated Ruiz in 2005 to become world champion. Fighting in the Max Schmeling Halle again will be like a home match”, Valuev said.
Valuev, 34, became the first Russian world heavyweight champion in December 2005 when he defeated Ruiz. In April 2007, he lost his title to Ruslan “White Tyson” Chagaev from Uzbekistan. Since then, Chagaev has held one title defence bout, and a torn Achilles tendon caused the second postponement of a mandatory challenge bout against Valuev. On 4 July, the WBA decided to sanction a bout with the Russian’s closest contender, the Puerto Rican-American Ruiz. Chagaev is currently what the WBA calls a “champion in recess”, and the winner of the Valuev-Ruiz bout will have to face Chagaev before 26 June 2009, if the Uzbek manages to make a return to fitness by then.
22 July 2008
http://en.rian.ru/sports/20080722/114606060.html (in English)
Guus Hiddink to sign new improved contract with Russia
Guus Hiddink (1946- ), Dutch coach of the Russian National Football Team, an inspirational and charismatic field leader. Na mnogaya lyeta, Guus!
The Russian national side’s Dutch trainer, Guus Hiddink, is set to sign a new improved contract, a top Russian football official said on Wednesday. “Hiddink has proposed a plan for the development of football in Russia. Taking this in account, the terms of his contract will be improved”, said Sergei Kapkov, the chairman of the National Football Academy and vice-president of the Russian Football Union. The National Football Academy was set up by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich.
Kapkov said that Hiddink’s new contract would see him earn more than his compatriot Dick Advocaat, the trainer of Russian champions FC Zenit St Petersburg. Advocaat is thought to earn around 4.5 million dollars (105.174 million roubles. 2.865 million euros. 2.258 million UK pounds) a year. He also said that the National Football Academy would pay the bulk of Hiddink’s salary. Hiddink announced on Wednesday that he would sign a new contract in “the next 10 days”, adding that he enjoyed working in Russia, and that he wanted to assist in the further development of the sport in the largest country on earth. His previous contract expired on 14 July. Hiddink led Russia to joint third place at Euro 2008, and has been credited with inspiring a football revival in Russia. Pre-Hiddink, Russia had failed to get out of their group at every major tournament they had qualified for.
23 July 2008
http://en.rian.ru/sports/20080723/114768963.html (in English)
Russian cosmonaut and FC Zenit fan gives club captain ‘cosmic’ gift
A Russian cosmonaut has returned to the captain of FC Zenit St Petersburg a team shirt that recently spent some five months on board the International Space Station, the club’s website reported. Yuri Malenchenko, a longtime FC Zenit fan, blasted off on a six-month mission to the International Space Centre on 10 October last year. “Before leaving, I’d been talking with a friend about Zenit’s success, and he suggested I take a club symbol with me. I took a club scarf. After Zenit won the title in November, Anatoly Timoshchuk sent me his top on a cargo spacecraft”, Malenchenko said at a press-conference on Thursday. “Lots of expeditions visited us while I was on board the International Space Centre and all of them signed the shirt”.
The top will be displayed in the new FC Zenit club museum. In return, club captain Timoshchuk gave the cosmonaut the gold top and boots he wore during the team’s title celebrations. “The support we had both in the stadium and beyond it helped us lift the title”, said the FC Zenit captain, adding that, “I’d love to go to space myself, to look down on our planet. I guess everyone has the same dream. It takes years of preparation though”.
The 2007 season saw FC Zenit, sponsored by energy giant Gazprom, win the Russian league title for the first time, ending 11 years of domination by Moscow-based clubs. FC Zenit’s only previous title success came in 1984, when they lifted the USSR Championship. The club also won the UEFA Cup in May, beating FC Glasgow Rangers in the final in Manchester.
25 July 2008
http://en.rian.ru/sports/20080725/114891747.html (in English)
China to have largest ever delegation at Beijing 2008 Olympics
Chinese President Hu Jintao (1942- ) meets with Chinese Olympians
China’s largest-ever Olympic delegation will be presented at this year’s Games from 8 to 24 August, the official site of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games reported Friday. The 1,099-member delegation includes 639 athletes and ensures that China will be represented in all 28 Olympic events and 38 disciplines. The average age of the athletes is 24.2, and the 29th Olympiad will be the Olympic debut for 469 Chinese athletes. China’s will also be the largest team of athletes, surpassing the 596 athletes sent by the United States.
25 July 2008
http://en.rian.ru/sports/20080725/114892360.html (in English)
Editor’s Note:
Good luck to the Chinese and Russian Olympians at the games! I believe that they shall hand the overconfident and arrogant Americans a well-deserved defeat. The snotty comments I have heard regarding the Chinese and Russians in the loud Western media have to be paid back, in full, with interest.
RIA-Novosti
