Ambassador Sumi and his wife met with the President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine Serhii Bubka and others

 　On June 26 Ambassador Sumi and his wife invited the President of the Olympic Committee of Ukraine Serhii Bubka, artistic gymnast Oleg Verniaiev (2016 Olympic Games Silver Medalist in Artistic Gymnastics - Men's Individual All Around) and others to the residence in order to exchange views regarding the Japan-Ukraine cooperation in the field of sports.

 　Serhii Bubka mentioned about a hand-over ceremony of the Project for Improving Training Environment at the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation, which was previously implemented within the Kusanone Grant Assistance Program, and thanked for the gymnastics equipment and a mini-bus provided by Japan. He also conveyed his willingness to undertake any kind of cooperative action in order to ensure the success of 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Oleg Verniaiev said he was training every day using the equipment provided from Japan and looking at it every morning he was reminded of the Japan’s support.

 　In turn, Ambassador Sumi said it was an honour for him to be able to talk with the athletes who are also famous in Japan. He conveyed expectations that many Ukrainian sportsmen will be actively participating in 2020 Tokyo Olympics bringing more excitement.

 　The meeting was held as a follow-up of the Project for Improving Training Environment at the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation. This project  is an important element of the Japanese initiative SPORT FOR TOMORROW (SFT) being held globally in more than 100 countries ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. This campaign is aimed at expanding values of sports and Olympic movement to more than 10 mil people of different generations around the world.
 
For more detailed information on SFT please visit:
https://www.sport4tomorrow.jp/