MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov has invited President Vladimir Putin to attend the World Fencing Championship that is due to take place in Moscow on July 13-20.
"I have pleasure to invite you to attend it. I inform you that the president of the International Olympic Committee [Thomas Bach] also plans to visit our world championship," Usmanov said.
Usmanov, who is the head of the International Fencing Federation, said that Bach is also a member of the Federation and a German fencer and formerly an Olympic champion.
He expressed hope that the Russian athletes will again become winners. "You know better than me, that it is difficult to secure victory twice, and it will be very hard for the third time, but the guys tell me that they can do this," Usmanov said.
Putin said: "Let’s wish success to our athletes at the upcoming world championship."
Usmanov also told the president about the plans for the coverage of fencing on television. "We have big contracts with Euronews and Eurosport and now even with CNN, they will come to the world championship: we have invited them and they have agreed," he said.
"That’s why I hope that I represent Russia in the Olympic movement not in vain. I am proud that I’m the first Russian who has become the president of the international federation in an Olympic sport. I hope to justify the confidence of the motherland," Usmanov said.
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