3.6 Sports for Adults and Children
Sports means health and national accomplishments. Gazprom supports both the first steps in sports and pursuit of professional sporting success.
Collaboration with FIFA and UEFA
In 2018, PJSC Gazprom continued it successful cooperation with the Federation Internationale de Football Associations (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The status of the global partner of the most popular and prestigious sports tournaments enables the Company to pursue its communication strategy, implement large-scale social initiatives, improve brand recognition and enhance the Company’s reputation at the key international markets.
PJSC Gazprom carries out the advertising campaign at 19 European markets, as well as in China, arranges promotion of the sponsored sports projects, interacts with the football fans in the Internet, including social media and the special web site.
According to the findings of the opinion surveys held by Gazprom on a regular basis with independent public opinion polling services, more than a half of the European respondents perceive Gazprom as the reliable Russian supplier of energy resources. That indicator has remained stable for several years, and brand recognition is much higher among people interested in football, and the number of the respondents positively evaluating the overall impression of Gazprom brand increases steadily.
During the 2018 FIFA World Cup football tournament in Russia, the Company’s billboards were installed at the key stadiums of the country. The exhibition described Gazprom Group’s operations and social initiatives. Special attention was paid to EcoGas fuel brand developed within the framework of the program aimed at promoting natural gas as motor fuel.
Sports for children
Gazprom for Children Program is the most important project in sports for children. Its purpose is to establish the required conditions for harmonious development of children and teenagers and engage as many of them as possible in the sports groups.
Over 1,650 sports facilities of different types were built in Russia since the beginning of the project implementation in 2007. Hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers were able to engage in sports activities at multi-functional and specialized complexes, visit modern swimming pools and skating rinks, and compete at the new stadiums and playing courts.
In 2018, 51 sports facilities were constructed under the Program, including 18 sports and fitness complexes, a horse-riding school, 2 field-and-track halls, 30 outdoor flatworks, in particular 7 school stadiums and 23 multi-functional pitches. During the reporting period, construction and installation works were carried out at 43 capital construction projects.
The largest sports facilities of high social importance included in Gazprom for Children Program commissioned in 2018 were a sports and fitness complex with a swimming pool and a universal gym in Komsomolsk-on-Amur city, a horse-riding school in Kursk, a sports and fitness complex with a swimming pool in Kantemirovka urban-type settlement in the Voronezh Region, a sports and fitness complex with an indoor skating rink in the Suzemka settlement in the Bryansk Region, a field-and-track hall in Kirov.
The information on distribution of funds under the Gazprom for Children Program across regions is provided in Appendix
Gazprom for Children Program Plans
In 2019–2024, 198 sports facilities shall be constructed under the Program, including 65 sports and fitness complexes, 132 pitches (including those at schools) and one horse-riding school, in the Amur, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kirov, Kursk, Leningrad, Novgorod, Omsk, Orenburg, Rostov, Sakhalin, Sverdlovsk, Smolensk, Tambov, Tula and Yaroslavl Regions, in the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Republic of Adygea, Udmurt and Chechen Republics, Krasnodar Territory, Republics of Bashkortostan and Sakha (Yakutia), St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk Territory. The largest and the most socially important projects are construction of the Rhythmic Gymnastics Center in Sochi and the sports complex of Avangard Hockey Academy in Omsk.
Another important children’s sports project of Gazprom is the Football for Friendship international social program. In 2018, the Footbal for Friendship became a part of the official program of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The purpose of the program is to support child and youth sports, promote healthy and active lifestyle values, foster respect of the representatives of different nationalities and cultures.
The program is available for all people, irrespective of their physical abilities. The accessible environment enables disabled children to participate in it in full parity with the other, therefore they both engage in sports activities and make friends with their peers.
The sixth season of the Football for Friendship Program became the key PJSC Gazprom’s social project within the framework of events and activities timed to coincide with the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The number of countries involved in the international program increased 26 times compared to the first season. For the first time ever, children from 211 countries and regions of the world participated in the Program’s activities. Moscow welcomed 12-year old participants from six continents (including disabled children) representing Asia, Africa, Australia and Pacific Islands, Europe, North America and South America. Over 180 sports events for children and city festivals were organized within the framework of the sixth season of the Program in different regions of the world and over 240,000 children participated in them.
In 2018, the Football for Friendship Program was supported by various organizations, including the UN, FIFA, UEFA, national football federations, leading football clubs of the world, international children charity foundations, NGOs and governments of different countries, which stressed the importance of developing its social and humanitarian mission.
PJSC Gazprom children social program Football for Friendship received prestigious domestic and international awards. Currently, it holds 21 awards in communications, social and sports initiatives, including Gold Quill Awards, Sabre Awards, Silver Archer, Eventiada IPRA GWA. The project won international acclaim and became an important part of the international social policy of Russia.
World-class sports
In 2018, the large-scale charity projects included support of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) during the new Olympic cycle of 2019–2022. The sportsmen are supported in course of preparation to and participation in the Olympic Games; in addition, support is provided to the ROC chartered activities, including countering use of doping means and methods in sports.
In 2018, PJSC Gazprom continued its longstanding partnership with the sports federations. The Company sponsors All-Russia Federations of Rhythmic Gymnastics, Volleyball, Swimming, Biathlon, Canoeing, Billiard. The Company’s sponsorship enabled those Federations to hold major domestic and international competitions, continue training of the new generation of sportsmen who become the winners at the international tournaments. For example, during the reporting year, the Russian swimmers validated their individual ratings and the title of the strongest team in Europe. And the Russian gymnasts proved again that they were the best in the world by winning the key major tournaments of the year. It is worth mentioning the success of young gymnast Darya Trubnikova, who became the Champion of the 3rd Youth Summer Olympic Games held in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, in October 2018.
Those and many other accomplishments of the Russian sports people became possible due to the support provided by Gazprom Group companies to domestic sports.