Russian athletes are to have more competitive opportunities through a sporting accord signed with China ©Getty Images

More than 500 events involving Russia and China will be held this year and next as part of a sporting agreement decreed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Among those events in what is being called The Cross Years of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports in 2022 and 2023 will be an International University Sports Festival in Yekaterinburg next year.

Yekaterinburg was to have hosted the 2023 Summer World University Games but that staging was suspended by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Instead the Chinese city of Chengdu, which was to have hosted in 2021, is now due to host the 32nd edition of the Games next year.

"Russia and China are long-standing strategic partners," Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko told national news agency TASS.

"Holding Cross Years in the field of physical culture and sports will strengthen cooperation between countries and demonstrate to the whole world the unifying power of sports.

"Sports should be out of politics - this is a principle that Russia will always adhere to.

"On behalf of President Vladimir Putin, the government will approve the composition of the Russian part of the organising committee and assist in its work.

"A preliminary plan has been developed for holding the Cross Years.

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has welcomed the opportunities provided by next year's proposed International University Sports Festival in Yekaterinburg in place of the FISU Summer World University Games ©Getty Images
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has welcomed the opportunities provided by next year's proposed International University Sports Festival in Yekaterinburg in place of the FISU Summer World University Games ©Getty Images

"It included more than 500 events, including friendly matches of Russian and Chinese hockey players, volleyball players and many other events.

"The third Russian-Chinese Winter Youth Games will be held in December 2022 in Jilin province and the Russian team has already started preparing for them."

The programme of the Russian-Chinese Winter Youth Games includes competitions in cross-country skiing, Alpine skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, short track, figure skating, curling and freestyle.

"Russia is ready to expand the formats of sports cooperation, create new international sports competitions," said the Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin.

"The International University Sports Festival will open up new opportunities for bringing together active and sports students from all over the world at the venues of Yekaterinburg."