A meeting with a legendary Russian athlete, multiple-time World Champion in mixed martial arts Fedor Emelianenko took place at South Ural State University. The event brought together students, faculty members, representatives of the sports community, and regional authorities.
The meeting was organized as part of a big-scale “Faith and Sport” church-state and public project being implemented with the blessing of Metropolitan Aleksiy of Chelyabinsk and Miass. The central theme of the event was the “Preservation and Strengthening of Russian Spiritual and Moral Values in the Field of Physical Culture and Sports”.
The program included a presentation of the “Faith and Sport” project. The highlight of the event was an open discussion between Fedor Emelianenko and the audience, during which they addressed spiritual guidelines in sports, personal responsibility of an athlete, the role of a mentor, and the importance of faith in a person’s life.
Speaking about his life journey, Fedor Emelianenko noted:
“My goal is simple – to love the Lord God and my neighbour. Everything is built on these commandments. Everything I know and can do, I try to pass on to my loved ones – my family and my team – sharing a part of my love and experience. It is important that the young athletes succeed not only in sports, but first of all that everything in their lives turns out well. The most important thing is to raise a good person.”
The athlete also shared his personal story of motivation, emphasizing that he had sought strength not for personal glory:
“I’ve always wanted to become stronger not for myself, but to represent my country at the international level. That was my main dream. I trained a lot and worked with full dedication. After my first training session and with each one that followed, my inner fire only grew stronger. I never had an issue of motivation – it has always been and remains my favourite pursuit.”
He noted that faith and traditional values help athletes maintain resilience in difficult life situations, cope with defeats, and accept success with dignity.
Rector of South Ural State University Alexander Wagner highlighted the importance of the legendary athlete’s visit for the youth of our region:
“Fedor Emelianenko is a legend of our sport and is known all over the world. His achievements, strength of spirit, and commitment to spiritual and moral values inspire deep respect. I sincerely thank you for finding the opportunity to come to Chelyabinsk and meet with our students and representatives of our region at South Ural State University.”
Deputy Chairperson of the Government of the Chelyabinsk Region Margarita Pavlova emphasized that such events allow people to look at sports in a new way: not only as competition, but also as a powerful tool for personal development.
“Athletes are opinion leaders, they are the people whom others listen to and look up to. Today, through his answers, Fedor clearly demonstrates how important a personal civic position and strong inner convictions are. It is especially valuable to me that our athletes demonstrate not only professional excellence, but also strength of spirit, which becomes an example for young people.”
During the meeting, students asked Fedor Emelianenko about his sports career, overcoming challenges, and his personal story of success. The conversation was sincere and meaningful, and the atmosphere was truly friendly.
Read more in the SUSU channel on МАХ