The 2023 CIS Games will better promote the tourist potential of Belarus, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko said at the session of the CIS Heads of Government Council in Astana, Kazakhstan on 28 October, BelTA has learned.

“The framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States offers an opportunity to join efforts in order to develop elite sports, to train the sports reserve and to promote a healthy way of life for the citizens of our countries. One of the ways to address this issue is to organize the CIS Games. The first edition of the Games was successfully held in Kazan in 2021. At the meeting of the CIS Council on Physical Education and Sports on 20 December 2021 it was decided to hold the second edition in Belarus in 2023. Our country has repeatedly hosted sports events of the highest level. The biggest of them were the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship and the 2nd European Games in 2019,” said Igor Petrishenko.

The 2023 CIS Games are due to take place on 4-14 August. “Belarus is fully prepared for the organization of the competition. The country has all necessary sports and related infrastructure,” he stressed.

The concept of the Games envisages events in 21 sports in nine cities of all Belarus. “This approach will make it possible to familiarize the participants of the Games with the sports infrastructure not only in the capital, but also in the regions of our country, as well as to demonstrate the beauty of Belarus and to more fully reveal its tourist potential,” the deputy prime minister stressed.

According to him, the Games will include a large number of competitive sports, such as basketball 3x3, handball, beach soccer, beach volleyball, futsal, field hockey, which are always popular among the fans. “The 2023 CIS Games should be held in the format of games of friendship. Therefore, in addition to sports, an extensive cultural and tourist program is envisaged for the participants of the games,” said Igor Petrishenko.

According to the deputy prime minister, there are prerequisites for these Games to become such a form not only for the CIS countries. This is an opportunity for them to gradually expand the geography of the participants and increase their importance among other events in the international sports arena. “At the meeting of the Council on Physical Education and Sports in Tashkent it was decided to give the Games an open status. Cuba and Mongolia have already expressed their intention to join the Games. Some BRICS countries may take part in them, too,” he said.

Written by: belta.by