In Rostov Region a lot of attention is being paid to creating opportunities for citizens to participate in sports. These efforts are directed toward preserving the existing network of sports facilities, as well as renovating current facilities and building new ones. Over the last five years more than 400 new sports establishments have appeared in the Region. Among them are a sports palace in Tsymlyansk, a gymnastics facility of the Youth Sports School – 2, a boxing hall “Boeviye Perchatki” (“Fighting Gloves”) in Rostov-on-Don, a stadium at the rural school in the Bolshoy Log settlement in the Aksayskiy District, and others. The reconstruction of one of the biggest stadiums, well-known to sports fans in Rostov-on-Don as “Rostselmash,” is being completed, as is the renovation of the Regional School of Olympic Reserve and the rowing canal on the left bank of the Don.

The amount of sports facilities to the population in Rostov Region is 36%; generally in Russia it’s 19%. Every day more than 1.3 million people in the Region can work out actively or participate in one of the sports.

Rostov Region was the first among the regions of the Russian Federation to receive the prestigious award from the Executive Board of the Olympic Committee of Russia and its Fair Play Board for high results and humanism in sports. In 2001 and 2002 athletes from the Rostov Region held second place among the Russian federal units in the number of medals won in European and World championships. In 2002, for the first time in the history of the Region, our athletes won the same amount of gold medals in the world championships as their Moscow counterparts.

The Governor of the Region, Vladimir Fedorovich Chub, constantly supports the Region’s athletes. V.F.Chub is the only governor in Russia who was awarded the highest Olympic award – the Olympic Order.

The expenses for social needs comprise more than 50% of the consolidated budget of the Region every year. The financing of physical education and sports is increasing all the time. In 2001 the Regional government allocated 250 million rubles for that purpose; in 2002, 350 million rubles; and in 2003, 470 million rubles. All this makes it possible to hold contests at the highest level on the Don land, to develop mass sports, and to create highest-achievement sports, and children’s and youth sports.