President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared the 'Games of the Future' open in Astana. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, the president expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"As everyone knows, the 'Games of the Future' is a project implemented on the initiative of Russia. There is reason to believe that the successful implementation of this project is due to President Vladimir Putin. In a short time, these competitions have become a global-level contest," the president said.
Tokayev recalled that the first competition was held in Kazan, and then continued in Abu Dhabi.
"And today we are all gathered on the expanse of the Great Steppe. Almost 800 athletes from more than 30 countries have arrived in our capital. I believe that the 'Games of the Future' in Astana will give a new impetus to the phygital movement, combining classical sports and some industries," Tokayev said.