Cricket Is Now An Official Sport In Russia

The Russian Government has officially recognised cricket as a sport on Friday, according to a report in European Cricket Network. The landmark decision will allow the sport’s governing body, Cricket Russia, for funding and other support from the Russian Ministry of Sport (RMoS). In 2019, the RMoS had refused to recognise cricket as sport in the country, but with this landmark decision it will be a beginning of a new dawn in the cricketing backwaters.

“Cricket Russia are one of the founding members of the European Cricket League and the St. Petersburg Lions, Russia’s ECL19 champion team, grabbed attention by taking part in the first-ever European Cricket League. Moscow Foxes were set to be Russia’s next representatives before the cruel postponement of ECL20 due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,” according to the report in ecn.cricket.

Cricket Russia president Ashwani Chopra acknowledged the decision taken by the Russian government and said it will boost the board’s effort to raise the profile of the game in the country. He also said, it is an incredible milestone in the history of cricket in Russia.

“This is an incredible milestone in the history of cricket in Russia,” Ashwani Chopra, President of Cricket Russia, told the European Cricket Network.

“The decision will further boost our efforts to raise the profile of cricket in Russia,” he added.

“From knowing Ashwani and many of the people and players involved with Cricket Russia, this is a landmark moment in their pioneering efforts to push the game forward,” ECL Founder Daniel Weston told their website.

“In years to come, I would like to think that more and more good news is going to come from Cricket in Russia and the game won’t look back from here, especially with the opportunity each season for Russia’s domestic champions to play on the world stage at the European Cricket League,” he added.

The Russian Cricket Federation was formed in 2013, with one eye on the sport’s possible return to the Olympics.