Rustam Minnikhanov: Tatarstan will also be a Russian centre for shotgun

The European Shotgun Championship made a start in Tatarstan (the Shotgun Complex, the Verkhny Uslon District) on June 26. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov attended the opening ceremony.

Among other participants of the opening of the Championship were President of the Russian Shooting Union and of the European Shooting Confederation Vladimir Lisin, Secretary of the Council under the Russian President on physical culture and sport, Aleksey Kulakovsky, Executive director of the Russian Olympic Committee Marat Bariev, Minister of Youth Affairs, Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan Rafis Burganov and Technical Delegate of the European Shooting Confederation Petros Kyritsis.

Greeting the participants and guests of the European Shotgun Championship, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov thanked the leadership of the European Shooting Association for Tatarstan hosting the tournament. “For us sport is something very special. The Republic of Tatarstan is famous for its football, bandy, ice hockey, volleyball, basketball and technical sport teams. Shotgun has always been popular here; and hosting the European Shotgun Championship means that Tatarstan will also be a Russian centre for shotgun,” the Tatarstan President said.

The Tatarstan President recalled that in 2013 Kazan will host the World Summer Universiade and a shotgun competition will be held at the Verkhny Uslon Complex, Tatarstan. “We are very pleased to host such an important tournament in 2010. We will be happy if you come to us to attend the Univesiade,” Rustam Minnikhanov remarked.

The European Shotgun Championship brought together sportsmen from as many as 37 countries. The Russian national team had representatives from Tatarstan. Sunday will see first finals in female trap among juniors and adults. The Championship will last till July 4.