Member of the Board of Directors of the International Athlete Rights Association ( IARA) Oleg Zakharov has achieved incredible success in strengthening Russian-Japanese friendship and depoliticizing international sports.

Member of the Board of Directors of the International Athlete Rights Association ( IARA) Oleg Zakharov has achieved incredible success in strengthening Russian-Japanese friendship and depoliticizing international sports.

   This was noted by the Ambassador of Japan to Russia, Mr. Toyohisa Kozuki, who recently personally met with Oleg Zakharov in Moscow. During this meeting, Mr. Kozuki emphasized that sport remains a part of public diplomacy and a way of communication between peoples, and expressed hope for further cooperation in this area with the participation of organizations such as the International Athlete Rights Association ( IARA). We fully agree with Mr. Kozuki's opinion. And we are convinced that international sport should become an instrument of peace and public diplomacy on the planet, as well as a means of combating discrimination against athletes on any grounds, including those related to their belonging to specific countries.

   This is not only the good wishes of Mr. Ambassador Kozuki. Japan is taking real steps to depoliticize sports. This is evidenced by the results of the international karate competitions held in Tokyo on April 29-30 this year, in which our director Oleg Zakharov and his young students took part. The Russian delegation of 90 people was admitted to these international competitions for the first time since 2020. There were no national flags in the competition other than the flag of the host country of these international competitions, Japan. In addition, any national symbols, posters and inscriptions of political significance were banned in competition venues, including public transport and hotels. At solemn ceremonies, only the flag of Japan and the KYOKUSHINKAIKAN sports federation was raised. Athletes at these competitions, in accordance with Olympic principles, did not represent their countries, but the sports federations of their countries. The competition regulations provided for the exclusion from the sports federation of athletes and personnel who committed acts of nationalism, hostility and aggression. As a result, the international karate competitions in Tokyo were held at the highest level, in an atmosphere of friendship, mutual respect and sports solidarity of athletes from around the world.

    We state that our voice on the depoliticization of sports has been heard and is already beginning to receive support in international sports federations. We believe that the main mission of international sport is the Olympic Truce and the end of all wars on the planet. In this regard, we express our gratitude to our director Oleg Zakharov and his wonderful family for their active participation in this work. And we hope for further success of our energetic colleague and friend Oleg Zakharov in his noble public work to preserve the unity of international sports.

Reference.

Oleg Zakharov, member of the Board of Directors, head of the Standing Commission on combat sports and martial arts, head of the Rostov branch of our organization in the Southern Federal District. President of the Rostov Kyokushin Association, coach of the highest category, sports referee of the international category, chairman of the Rostov regional branch of the all-Russian public organization Society "Russia-Japan". Mr. Zakharov graduated from the Faculty of Law of the International Science and Technology University in 2003, worked in various Russian and foreign commercial and sports companies, as Deputy Director of the Rostov branch of the South Russian State Technical University. In 2020 he defended his dissertation on the topic “Pedagogical features of teaching karate athletes aged 12-14 years to formal complexes (kata) based on the interval method” Author of more than 70 publications, including 10 monographs.

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