President of Gymnastics Federation

Havana, August 3 (JIT) - The president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), Japan's Morinari Watanabe, said he is interested in strengthening cooperation with the island so that it can be among the world's top gymnasts.

"Cuban gymnastics has a history of great success, so I want to see the conditions of the national school and look for ways to support the development of this discipline here," he said.

The visitor was received at José Martí International Airport by Roberto León Richards, head of the Cuban Olympic Committee (COC); Osvaldo Vento Montiller, president of Inder, and Gisleydi Sosa, director of international relations of the Cuban sports organization.

In a brief dialogue, Richards and Vento commented to Watanabe on the recent qualification of Cubans for the Central American and Caribbean Games of San Salvador 2023 in rhythmic, artistic and trampoline gymnastics.

They also exchanged on the possibilities of developing some projects related to the acquisition of equipment for facilities on the island.

During his stay in Havana, which will end next Friday, the also member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will hold official meetings with the highest authorities of the Cuban Sports Movement and will visit the National Gymnastics School, where he will learn about the preparation and projections of our national teams in the present and for the upcoming Olympic cycle.

He will also visit the Fidel Castro Ruz Center, inaugurated on November 25, 2021 with the fundamental purpose of studying and disseminating the thought, work, life and example of the Historical Leader of the Cuban Revolution.

VISIT TO THE ICDC

Watanabe's first activity was a visit this afternoon to the Cuban Sports Research Center (CIDC).

Pavel Pino, director of the CIDC, offered details of the project, the work and the results of the institution that emerged at the end of 2016.

Watanabe celebrated the experience and agreed that sports preparation and competition itself are activities that are increasingly the fruit of applied sciences. He was accompanied on the tour by Leon Richards and Sosa, together with ICSD specialists.