7,2 million people joined the GTO movement

After the 3-years implementation programme of the Russian National Health and Fitness Programme GTO, 7,2 million people joined the movement. 2,8 million have already started the testing or even finished it. The numbers were provided by the Head of GTO Complex Implementation Department, Deputy Director General of the Directorate for Sports and Social Projects, Alexander Karpov, at the session of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport of the Republic of Tatarstan.

As we have informed, the extended panel session of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport of the Republic of Tatarstan involving Natalya Parshikova, State Secretary and Russia's Deputy Sport Minister, took place on 13 January in Kazan. The presiding board included Prime Minister of Tatarstan Aleksey Pesoshin and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports of Tatarstan Vladimir Leonov. The results of the GTO complex implementation were summed up at the meeting.

"By 1 January 2018 we reached the number of 1 million owners of the GTO pins. 2,513 testing centres are operating today across the country," said Alexander Karpov.

State Secretary — Russia's Deputy Sport Minister Natalya Parshikova — highly estimated the work done by Tatarstan to promote the physical culture, sport, and GTO enhancing. She also handed the State awards in the field of sport for the last year. GTO Ambassador Irek Zinnurov, water-polo player, Olympic Games medallist was awarded with the gold GTO pin.

"It was a pleasure to receive the GTO pin, the same as with the Olympic medalls. As the GTO Ambassador it is important for me to show and prove by example that GTO is great. If you practice sport regularly, you are able to pass the tests and gain the gold pin. Participating in the GTO helps leading healthy lyfestyle, feel better and keep the energy up," told Irek Zinnurov.