Ministry of Sports
Background
Russia’s Ministry of Sports is the federal government body responsible for state policy and legal regulation in the field of physical culture and sport. Its remit includes supporting mass sport, elite sport, and youth-oriented physical activity, as well as coordinating programs linked to national fitness standards and sports development across the country. As a central ministry, it matters because it helps set nationwide priorities for training, competition, infrastructure, and public participation in sport.
The ministry is headed by the minister of sport and operates as part of the Russian federal executive branch. In practice, it works with regional authorities, sports federations, and other state institutions to implement federal policy and oversee programs related to physical culture and athletic development. Its position within the state apparatus gives it responsibility for translating national goals into regulations, funding decisions, and coordinated programs that affect both professional and amateur sport.
In recent years, the ministry’s work has included adapting state fitness initiatives to new forms of activity and expanding the scope of national sports policy. Recent reporting indicates that Russia plans to add drone racing to the GTO national fitness program by 2027–2028, following a directive from President Vladimir Putin, with pilot testing in several regions. The ministry is also associated with work involving the Russian Drone Racing Federation and with proposed incentives for participants who meet GTO standards, reflecting a broader effort to integrate emerging disciplines into established public sport programs.
Timeline
The Ministry of Sports planned to include drone racing in the GTO national fitness program by 2027–2028.
Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive BenefitsThe Ministry of Sports launched pilot testing of the new drone-racing GTO standards in four regions.
Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive Benefits
Documents
Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive Benefits
Russia plans to add drone racing to the GTO national fitness program by 2027–2028, following a Putin directive, with pilot testing in four regions and benefits including tax deductions and university admission points for badge holders.