Currently Russian Equestrian Federation President, he was Speaker of the State Duma, parliament's lower house, of two previous convocations-that is, for eight years running.
Championship preparations are in full swing. "We are constantly receiving spokesmen of the FEI, International Equestrian Federation. FEI officers are checking the state of dressage fields, and conditions to be offered to horses and riders. They are advancing initiatives, and coming up with advice and occasional reprimands. It's all in a day's work," Seleznev said.
The Russian team has been manned only tentatively for now. The five on the team will be announced early in July. A half will drop out from the ten athletes licensed for European championships.
The team leader has been appointed for certain. That will be time-tested Elena Petushkova, world dressage champion of 1970, and 20th Olympics champion in the team classification, 1972. She also won silver at the Munich Olympics.
The national team has been posed an ambitious goal-not to aspire for anything lower than bronze medals, Seleznev added.
The Bittsa is quite ready to host the contest, said Sergei Rusakov, its manager, who also took part in the news conference. The complex came through all-round updating quite recently, and now fully qualifies for top-notch equestrian events. There is only a small thing left to do-to build new stands for the viewers. That will be done within this month, he said.
The upcoming championship will have a 130,000 Euro prize fund.
The Bittsa will host another major dressage event, shortly before the championship, Seleznev added. That will be a World Cup stage, of July 14-17. It will include Russian President's Cup opens. An approximate twenty Russians will compete athletes from Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, the three post-Soviet Baltic countries, Poland and Finland, with a $38,000 prize fund.
