From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 11/27/2005 10:48 AM
November, 24, 2005

The Chechen sport is alive!

"People of all nationalities love sport. its values - health, fair play, interaction, aspiration to perfection - have universal character. It may become the great power carrying the kind origin in lives of people, suffered from the war or poverty, first of all, it refers to children. The international year of sport and physical training will serve as one more reminder to the governments, international organizations and public associations about the necessity of using an opportunity of sports with a view of strengthening human rights, assistance to development of peace".

Koffy Annan,
The general secretary of United Nations Organization.

"Regular trainings in sport serve as invaluable lessons having essentially important value for life in a modern society. Tolerance, cooperation, integration are the necessary conditions for achievement of success both in sport, and in daily life. The fundamental values of sport correspond to the principles of the Regulations of the United Nations Organization. Sport covers itself everything, does not recognize barriers and is easily accessible for everyone. Acting in cooperation with the governments, civil society and system of the United Nations Organization, the sporting world will help us to show importance and potential opportunities of sport for increase of an educational level, public health services, development and achievement of steady peace".

Adolf Ogy,
The special adviser of the general Secretary of United Nations in sport for peace development.

Correspondent GIA "Chechenpress" has contacted to the coordinator of VCHK Akhiadov Isoy with the request to comment and evaluate Chechen sportsmen who are outside the Chechen Republic of Ichkerija through the open letter to the address of political authority of CHRI.

Corr: Assalamu aleikum, Isa. Recently on the websites of the Chechen news agencies, particularly on GIA "Chechenpress" and IA "DAYMOHK" it has been published an Open letter of the Chechen sportsmen to address of President, Government and foreign policy block of CHRI. What can you tell about this appeal, how much sharply is a problem of the Chechen sport and sportsmen during these tragical days for Chechen people, and also have they addressed correctly or not?

Isa Akhianov: Va aleikum assalam. Before I answer your questions, I want to remind everyone, that 2005 year is an International year of sport and physical training, and this Letter should be heard not only by government of CHRI, but also by all good-willed people.

And now I'll answer your questions. You know, that all your listed questions in connection with Chechen sport and sportsmen of CHRI were problematic since the period of the USSR. The Chechen sportsmen of former Soviet Union were in the vanguard of all sportsmen of various kinds, such as free-style wrestling, greco-roman wrestling, judo, sambo-wrestling, boxing, football clubs, and later when they have allowed east single combats, karate, kickboxing, ushu and other sections of sport.

And now our young sportsmen, seeing, that their elder brothers, despite of all complexities, with all heart continued to work on a field of sports and took part in various international tournaments, meetings, competitions where they raised the honour of Chechen people and showed the best qualities of the person and the sportsman, namely of person, aspiring to be the defender of their Fatherland, want to continue their traditional way to the big sports. And we should be proud, that there is such generation which considers itself obliged to continue great business of their elder brothers.

Corr: Isa, as far as we know, you in your young years either went in for sports.

Isa Akhiadov: you know, in my time almost all Chechens went in for sports, and it was not some kind of fashion of certain kind of sports. The youth of my time mastered all kinds of sport, some of them even three - four kinds of sport, but two for sure. The Chechen sport was developing very promptly. There was no kind of sport which was not mastered by the Chechen sportsmen.

And to these sportsmen the political authority of the USSR created adjusting problems, there were unwritten laws in sports which did not let Chechen sportsmen go on international arena. Examples to this are Badalov Ruslan, Khasimikov Salman, Tungaev Bekkhan, Bisultanov Aslanbek, brothers Varaevs, Bagaevs, Maraevs, Dzhabrailov Hamzat and his pupils, Adam Saidulaev, Razman Sebiev, Uvais Akhtaev, the tallest person in USSR - 2 m and 32 sm, weight 190 kg, a member of modular basketball command of USSR but who was never permitted on international meetings. How many they were, all at once we will not list. And how many of them were from rural, regional settlements and other clubs at that time who were worthy even on a head higher than the listed sportsmen but who was not permitted to go in public and to work for the honour of our people and sports, which as never required it, basically, as well as now.

These Chechen sportsmen who are known not by hearsay, but in practice. And imagine, what happiness for our people, that our young sportsmen are ready and want to take relay-race from them and to achieve those boundaries, which their predecessors could not reach owing to open discrimination. It was infringement of human rights to a national attribute to which international right protecting institutes should state a basic estimation.

The international institutes, committees, associations and the public, worth at a source of development and protection of sports and sportsmen, should rise on protection of rights of present young Chechen sportsmen and not to allow the discrimination of the Chechen sportsmen which proceeds since times of the Soviet empire. As all of us are witnesses, now also Russian empire, having occupied Ichkerja, not only has taken away many lives and health of citizens of CHRI, but also has deprived the Chechen Sports from at least any self-expression.

Corr: According to your reasonings, it was very difficult and hard way for our sportsmen of Soviet times, and there is an impression, that the situation of present generation of sportsmen is the same, as it was in the past?

Isa Akhiadov: In ideological and political plans - yes. But the legal-right side of our sportsmen is protected by the Charter and Regulations about sports of the United Nations. Besides there are independent directions and kinds of sports to which the state ideology policy are not able to interfere. These are - east single combats, karate, ju-jutsu, aikido, kickboxing, kun-fu, ushu, various kinds of fights without rules where our sportsmen everywhere are in the lead. But here are already problems not legal-right and analytic-ideological characters, but social. They are much more independent and protected in legal-right plan than the sportsmen in other kinds of sports, such as free and greco-roman wrestling, boxing, heavy athletics and so on. These kinds, and still some other kinds of sports are monopolized by the state.

Corr: Thanks, Isa, for the detailed comment to the Letter of sportsmen to political authority of CHRI. Could it be possibly to evaluate so ardent desire of the Chechen sportsmen to come out under the flag and arms of Ichkerja and also their offer to institute cups of national sports?

Isa Akhiadov: I can remind, that by a political authority of the Chechen state from 1991 till 1994 already was founded several sports national clubs. And also ti was carried out many sports actions of the international character.

Also it was carried out sports meetings of republican importance, even during the previous occupation of the Chechen Republic by the Russian empire. Known politicians, members of government of CHRI and sportsmen took part in some tournaments from Armed forces of the Chechen state.

Having even such famous past of the Chechen Sports, we understand our youth, its aspiration to act on international arena under the flag of their State, and we are proud of it. People knowing original value of concepts Freedom and Independence may understand it only.

It is scream of people to whom it has bothered, that they are oppressed, while everyone should understand them and help. You see we, citizens of CHRI, should walk with highly lifted head, as we already are winners in this war. We have shown to the whole world, that Evil is unable to beat Kindness!

You look, what year under languid mutter to themselves under a nose of the world community the Russian invaders try to destroy a cultural heritage of Chechen people. The rare historical and architectural monuments in the world are being destroyed, works of art, archives are being coded, try to distribute ungodly thing as drugs, alcohol and corruption. The Kremlin terrorists want to present the international public of us, Chechens, as an element of public danger. Try to bury in oblivion noble Chechen customs, it is more fine which is not present, probably, at any other people. And through all this as ray of light in outer darkness, the Letter of sportsmen to CHRI has appeared. It means, that people are fed up with, that they are forgotten, but if they remember, they are not taling. I am sure, that they will be not the first who through MASS-MEDIA or otherwise will demand somehow respect of rights of our people in all aspects.

I would like to thank them for it. You see a problem of our people is that we do not like to speak about the problems in public, but we try them to decide with our own. In this connection nobody never knows our problems. And suddenly there is a cry from the heart for the whole world. This Letter speaks not only about a problem of the Chechen Sports, not only about tragedy of our people, but also about the increased sense of justice of our youth. Dela rez Khiil tsarn!

Corr: How do you think, did political authority of CHRI hear them?

Isa Akhiadov: Certainly, they were heard. I am sure, that very soon we will hear very authoritative answer to this appeal to the address of CHRI authority.

Corr: Also I would like to ask: did the World Chechen Congress participate in sports life of our citizens, and if yes, where and how?

Isa Akhiadov: Certainly. We always raised and solved the questions connected to our compatriot - sportsmen in the countries where they live. Especially actively we participate in life of the Chechen sportsmen, both living, and going in such countries as Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Byelorussia, Ukraine, Estonia.

At the end of 1998 - the beginning of 1999 we negotiated a authority of the United Nations for creation and realization of the Caucasian National Olympic Games. The first Games, in connection with post-war ruin in the Chechen Republic, we planned to carry out in 2000 year in capital of Georgia. The Georgian colleagues and representatives of other Caucasian peoples have supported this global idea. Authorized documents were developed and we prepared to found the new organization according to the accepted resolutions of the United Nations concerning sports.

All this was made to strengthen friendly relations between Caucasian peoples and the states, and as to show all to the world, that Caucasus - is peace and friendly region. However new intrusion of the Russian invaders into the Chechen Republic has forced us to postpone these plans for a while.

Corr: whether there Was a understanding on the part of a political authority of the Caucasian states, national sports committees and federations?

Isa Akhiadov: Yes, there were understanding and recognition of this problem. Especially high interest was at political leaders of Georgia and Azerbaijan. In this project Kalmykia was connected also. President of CHRI Aslan Maskhadov and some departments of government of CHRI enclosed the big efforts in realization of this project. In cities Jokhar, Khasaviurt, Nazrani selection sports meetings which would precede National Olympiad in Tbilisi, but as I have already told were planned, these plans were broken by the leader of terrorist organizations Putin.

Probably, among the sportsmen who have written these Letter there are people participating in these projects. We are sure: if to unite our efforts and desires in a single whole, we will achieve positive results, especially, taking into account, that desirable by us and sportsmen - is only the peace on our land.

Corr: Thanks for the detailed comment.

The correspondent of Chechenpress Saikhan Umarov conversed with the coordinator of World Chechen Congress Isa Akhiadov.

CHECHENPRESS, the Department of interview, 24.11.05
http://chechenpress.co.uk/english/news/2005/11/24/02.shtml