At the sitting, presided by the Chair, Mikheil Kavelashvili, the Committee discussed the activity and plans of the Figure Skating Federation.

The President of the Federation, Mariam Giorgobiani introduced information about the activity for 2019-2020 and the achievements for 2020-2021, touching upon the problems this sphere encounters.

As she stated, the key task of the Federation for the last two seasons was the engagement of the senior and junior segments at the Grand Prix stage and accumulation of the rating points for the finale, improvement of participation in the European and World Championships and increase of the quotas for the upcoming season, participation in Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2020 and acquiring a license for Winter Games 2022, we well as the often participation of juniors in the international tournaments etc.

According to her, season 2019-2020, compared to the previous seasons, was quite productive – Georgian skaters gained 21 medals at 20 international tournaments, including 9 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze medals, and were successful in World Championship 2021, thus gaining the two passes to Beijing Olympic Games 2022. Georgia has a significant chance to be enrolled amongst the top 1o teams. Currently, Georgia takes 13th place. If in 2011 Georgia was represented by 3 athletes, now the number is 16 with the greatest support of the authorities.

Though, the Federation still encounters problems requiring support by the state, including on the legal level to maintain all the achievements. The problems are acute, including the absence of the conditions for the training in Georgia and thus, the athletes have to leave for Russia for the exercises. Thus, the budget of the Federation outflows from the country. There are damaged gyms in Batumi, Kutaisi, and as to Zugdidi, the stadium was dismantled right after the opening as the land it was built on was alienated. The reporter stressed the qualification and licensing of the couches.

“The only standard stadium is in Batumi, and it is also almost destroyed. It means that the juniors, already gaining success to the country, can be dissolved due to the absence of the conditions. The Tbilisi Skating School does not belong to the Federation but the school does not even participate in the national championships. The Federation does not also possess the stadiums and thus, if there are talented Georgian athletes abroad capable to gain success to the country, they shall return”, - the reporter noted.

The Committee shared the position and agreed that the winter sports shall be further developed, especially against the already gained status of a host of Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2025.

As the Vice President of the Olympic Committee, Mamuka Khabareli stated, Georgia was imposed to build two ice stadiums for this festival, one in Tbilisi and the Federation will participate in this process.

The OC also heard information from the Federation. “These people, deriving from the conditions we encounter, do more than they can”, - he stated.

And even the developing countries have at least one ice stadium, while Tbilisi still encounters this problem for the last decade. The decision to host the Winter Festival in 2024 can serve as the precondition for the solution to this problem.

As the Chair of the Sports Committee stated, the problems discussed revealed the necessity of a uniform vision and the creation of a legal base in cooperation with the respective Ministry and Federations, as well as the municipalities. The process also requires certain regulations for the construction of the facilities.

The Chair assigned the staff to hold the working meeting of MPs with Tbilisi Municipality services and Tbilisi Skating Sports Center administration.