MOSCOW, 2 February 2010 – Alexey Smertin, the former captain of the Russian national team and ambassador of the Russian Bid for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup™, has been appointed Sports Director for the Bid. In his new role, Smertin will be responsible for working on technical and sporting matters pertaining to the Bid, such as advice on the match calendar, overall team accommodations and other related aspects.
Bid CEO Alexey Sorokin expressed his pleasure and confidence with this latest addition to his team. “As a Bid ambassador and member of our delegation who attended both Soccerex and the Final Draw last year in South Africa, Alexey Smertin has shown himself to be a strong representative and advocate for Russian football. Now, in his assumption of the position of Sports Director, he will strengthen our Bid with his unrivalled experience as former elite player turned administrator. We believe that this new position will expand the opportunities for him to apply his unique expertise to the Bid.”
The versatile Smertin is one Russia’s figureheads in their quest to host FIFA’s flagship competition for the first time. With 55 caps for Russia, Smertin can look back on a distinguished career as both defender and midfield player with a number of clubs in Russia and abroad, among them Lokomotiv Moscow, Girondins de Bordeaux and a stint at Chelsea (cf. bio on /en/the-bid/bid-committee.aspx).
“Playing for Russia in the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ in Korea and Japan was one of the highlights of my career. The significance of this competition and what it means to football fans all over the world is simply overwhelming,” Smertin said.
“I am very proud to have been asked to represent my country now on an altogether different playing field and very much look forward to the coming months with the Bid Committee. I will certainly strive for excellence in my efforts to bring the ultimate football event to my home country, Russia”, he added.
Beyond football, Alexey Smertin has started another career as politician and founder of social development projects. He is currently the deputy of the Altay region Legislative Assembly in Russia, and he is also actively engaged in the development of children’s sports in the Altay region and Barnaul, his native city. He has founded a football sports school for children and is also the founder of the «Young talents» foundation.
For more information:
Russian Football Union Media Office Phone: +7 (495) 926 13 00 Fax: +7 (495) 926 13 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Russia Bid Committee for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup™ Andreas Herren, International Media Coordinator Mobile: +41 (79) 799 0046
E-mail: [email protected]
