Putin Says Russia's Far East May Host Olympic Games

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin did not rule out on Friday that the Olympics may be held in Russia again, including in the Far Eastern regions.

On Thursday, Vladivostok Mayor Konstantin Shestakov said the regional authorities plan to submit a bid for hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics.

"We are not ruling out the possibility of holding the Olympic Games in the Russian Federation. Both the Far East and Vladivostok are among prospective hosting sites," the president said when asked during the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) plenary session whether he would support the bid of Vladivostok for hosting the competition.

If no one subverts Olympic values and principles or mixes them up with political issues, there is a chance that Russia will host the Games, Putin added.

Although the organisation of large sports competitions positively affects regional development, it is too early to discuss this issue, as there is a need to calculate everything, Putin specified.

The sixth edition of the EEF, running from September 2-4 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, is aimed at developing business ties and attracting national and international investors to Russia's Far East.