Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan, hosted the 12th Russia – Country of Sports International Sports Forum, attracting over 5,000 participants from across Russia and 50 countries worldwide. The event's opening ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Presidential Envoy to the Volga Federal District Igor Komarov, and several regional governors. In his welcoming speech, President Putin emphasized the importance of promoting sports for people of all ages across the country, highlighting the need for universal access to sports and physical training. The Forum's exhibition was inaugurated by the Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Degtyarev, who noted the significance of Ufa’s 450th anniversary, calling it a great opportunity to showcase the region's unique charm.

The All-Russian Sports Federation of Sports of the Deaf (ARSFSD) actively participated in the forum, alongside the Russian Committee of Deaf Sports, presenting at the Deaflympic Movement stand. The official opening of the stand on October 17 featured a welcoming speech from ARSFSD President Dmitry Rebrov, who stressed their commitment to creating opportunities for deaf individuals to engage in sports and achieve success. The opening concluded with a performance of the song “Ввысь” in Russian Sign Language.

Throughout the forum, the ARSFSD delegation held productive meetings with representatives from federal and regional executive bodies to discuss the development of deaf sports. They met with notable figures including the head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov; head of the Sports Centre of the Ministry of Sports of Russia “Yug-Sport”, Mikhail Dremov; the director of the Sports Training Centre of the Russian Federation International Luge-Bobsleigh Complex “Paramonovo”, Alexander Derevyanko; the head of the Department of Physical Education and Sports of Orel Oblast, Alexey Berestov; the chairman of the Committee of Physical Education and Sport of the Volgograd Oblast, Vladimir Popkov; Minister of Sports of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Ruslan Khabibov; Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Irek Sagitov; Acting Minister of Physical Education and Sport of Kursk Oblast, Vyacheslav Kharitonov; Head of the Sports Events Department of the Sports Training Centre of Sakhalin Oblast, Nikita Grinik; Director of the Adaptive Sports Centre of St. Petersburg, Vera Kuznetsova; Director of the Buryat Republican Adaptive Sports School, Buyanto Tsyrenzhapov. These meetings focused on fostering collaboration and advancing deaf sports initiatives.

The ARSFSD also participated in key forum sessions, including the “Sports – A Comprehensive Look into the Future” plenary session, during which President Putin delivered a speech.

On October 18, the ARSFSD signed a cooperation agreement with the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) to support and promote deaf basketball, including the 3x3 discipline. The signing ceremony was led by ARSFSD President Dmitry Rebrov and RBF President Andrey Kirilenko, who expressed optimism about the impact of their collaboration. Rebrov emphasized the 75-year history of basketball within the deaf sports system, while Kirilenko welcomed deaf athletes into the basketball community.

Throughout the event, volunteers at the Deaflympics Movement stand engaged visitors with a quiz on Russian Sign Language, and artists from the Ufa Deaf Culture House performed songs in sign language. The event was supported by the regional branches of ARSFSD and ARSD in Bashkortostan.

The next Russia – Country of Sports International Sports Forum will be held in Samara in 2025. During the closing ceremony, the baton was passed from Bashkortostan’s Acting Prime Minister Andrey Nazarov to the Governor of Samara Region, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, in the presence of Minister of Sports Mikhail Degtyarev and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.