The project to build a football base in Sochi outraged the ecologist.

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Ecologist Evgeny Vitishko was outraged by the authorities' plans to build a year-round training center for Russian national football teams in the Imeretinskaya lowland.

As reported by "include, in particular, parts of the ornithological park of the Imeretinskaya lowland covering 4.3 hectares.

On July 23, ecologist Evgeny Vitishko reported on his Telegram channel that a notification about public hearings on the change of boundaries of the specially protected natural area of regional significance of the ornithological park in the Imeretinskaya lowland was published on the website of the Ministry of Nature of the Krasnodar Territory, starting from July 28.

According to him, the Russian Football Union decided to place a base in two clusters of the park (10 and 11). "Who advised these 'ball-obsessed' people that it is possible to do this and simply bite off a piece of the specially protected natural area without compensation and proper scientific justification? We are against such optimizations and will fight for the preservation of the territories of the ornithological park," noted the ecologist.

Vitishko published a notification about public discussions on the object of state ecological expertise "Project of boundaries and regulations of the specially protected natural area of regional significance of the natural ornithological park in the Imeretinskaya lowland", including preliminary materials for environmental impact assessment. It follows that the customer of the work is the Russian Football Union (RFU), the executor of the environmental impact assessment work is the Federal State Budgetary Institution "All-Russian Research Institute for Environmental Protection" (FGBU "VNIIEcology"), and the responsible body for conducting discussions is the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Krasnodar Territory.

Vitishko also published the title page of the report on the scientific research work "Survey of the planned sites of the National Center for Training Russian National Football Teams (NCTRFC) in Sochi within the boundaries of clusters No. 10 and No. 11 of the specially protected natural area of regional significance - the natural ornithological park in the Imeretinskaya lowland". The report was approved by the director of FGBU "VNIIEcology" A.E. Zakondyrin.

The ecologist's publication was reposted by the Telegram channel "Tupodar Krasnodar". The news received eight comments as of 04:00 Moscow time today, July 25. "The last lungs of the region will be paved over with concrete.
The birds will have no choice but to migrate somewhere, for example, to Durmitor Park in Montenegro <...> I have nothing against football and sports in general, but another location could have been chosen. Because ecology is a million times more important. But after these 'managers' of ours, even the grass won't grow," lamented Yana. "Stop killing the region," urged Sparkle touch.

The order to build a training center for the Russian national football teams in Sochi was given following a meeting of the Council under the President on the development of physical culture and sports in December 2023 by President Vladimir Putin, writes Sports.ru.

The president's order states that the government of the Russian Federation, together with the administration of the Krasnodar Territory, must "ensure, based on existing restrictions (including environmental protection), the transfer (provision) of land plots located at the address: Krasnodar Territory, Sochi, Adler District, village of Vesyoloye, to the All-Russian public organization of the sports federation for football 'Russian Football Union' for the purpose of constructing the national center for training sports teams of the Russian Federation in football, as well as provide necessary assistance in creating such a center".

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