by Nickolai Dolgopolov

The members of the national Russian chess team donated 25 million rubles of prize money to hospitals in distant regions. COVID-19 attacked Russia later than other European countries. Now the situation is considered to be stable. Most cases are registered in Moscow followed by Saint-Petersburg and Moscow region.

All the borders remain closed. But foreign athletes who are playing in Russian clubs have received permission to return to the country. Starting from the 25th of May several training camps resumed their work.  After passing the tests, members of the national teams startеd the preparation for competitions.   

Author of this article (r) with editor of Komsomolskaya Pravda /RUS/ in 2019

Today International Olympic Day is celebrated around the World.  The Olympics, the idea of Olympism has been highlighted the whole sport life for decades. Nowadays it is so worldwide and well-known that it goes far beyond sports. The Olympic Games are not organized every year, therefore it is important that the concept of Olympism should be remembered at least once a year and thus the Olympic values come to our mind, we recall our heroes and their results.

by Maurizio Monego

Decimo Giunio Giovenale coined the formula "Panem et circenses" to designate how "bread and games" were a strategy of the Roman emperors to “drug” the people and keep them in political helplessness. Almost two thousand years later, the peoples of the world have experienced the meaning of that formula. Bread has been missing in many situations, increasing the number of poor people who thicken the queues waiting for a meal; the games disappeared due to the inability to play them.

"There are some areas in the life, which serves specifically the peace itself. Such areas are music and sport. In music people express their emotional feelings through sounds, whether sorrow or joy. In sport life, rival athletes are facing each other on the fields, who wants to win the other one, especially under peaceful conditions, keeping Fair Play ideas in their mind. 

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 continues to determine the world news. There are areas where pandemic is on the top and there are other places, such Europe, where it is already softening, at least in the first wave. To protect our health, whoever can do it, should start sport. Let’s keep the spirit of Fair Play, do not forget it! We should focus on that sports life would be better than ever. We can and must learn from all bad happenings, the epidemic has made us all wondering what we have done well so far, and what could be changed in the future. Experiencing happenings whether in health situation, or in the financial world, we should not forget human values, esteem, help, and human relationships. We need to live with these principles, and be prepared for the fact that whatever difficulties come we can handle it together. “ –  sent a message of Fair Play friends President Jenő Kamuti on the occasion of the beginning of summer.