On 21–23 October 2026, the International Sports Forum "Russia: Сountry of Sports" was held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, bringing together representatives of government bodies, international organizations and the sports community from more than 50 countries.
On 23 October, as part of the Forum's business programme, a session was held entitled "Sport in International Associations: New Formats of Cooperation and Competitions." It was attended by heads and senior representatives of relevant ministries, agencies and sports associations of Russia and foreign countries, as well as a delegation of the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Participants discussed the role of international and regional associations, including the SCO and BRICS, as platforms for strengthening interstate interaction in the sports sphere, developing multilateral ties and creating alternative or new formats of competitions.
Speaking on behalf of the SCO Secretariat, Counselor Kazybek Kochkonov reported on the events commemorating the Organization's 25th anniversary and emphasized the role of sport as a universal instrument of people's diplomacy aimed at strengthening trust and developing direct contacts between countries.
Kazybek Kochkonov informed those present about the SCO mechanisms in the field of physical culture and sports, the practice of holding joint events and competitions, and the work on the institutional development of this area of cooperation.