The President of Georgia visited a recently constructed rugby complex "Shevardeni" that will get into exploitation from November 18. The President spoke to rugby junior team members and congratulated them personally on obtaining place to the world championship. Mikheil Saakashvili promised them to improve the infrastructure and gave them a word that the government will support rugby as their priority.
"I think we have reached Gunness Records in rugby, because earlier we only had only one athletic field and a team of one stadium became a world class team. I have attended the last rugby championship in France and I must say that Georgian team had a separate fun-club there. Rugby has numerous of supporters around the world - in England, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Ireland.. I want to express my gratitude for your strong statement, you made during European championship that you have dedicated your victory to those guys, who fell dead in 2008. Georgia appreciated this very much. In certain types of sports some do not even want to sing national anthem. Our rugby players win because they know national anthem and are proud of Georgia at the same time. When you have sense of pride, you don't want to loose. We are starting construction of rugby fields in Poti, Telavi, Gori. In 2012 we will have a serious infrastructure - 19 stadiums. Children will get interested with this type of sports as well, when sports will substitute lessons of physical exercises", Mikheil Saakashvili noted.
Within rugby state support program it is planned to arrange 12 standard fields for physical exercises. Rugby fields will be constructed n Poti, Rustavi, Gori, Telavi, Senaki, Kutaisi, Batumi and Martkhopi. Rugby infrastructure arrangement project will finish by 2012. Mikheil Saakashvili spoke about Isani-Samgori district development as well and noted that one of the most abandoned and miserable districts today became one of the most comfortable place in the capital.
"I myself was Chairman of Tbilisi City Hall before the revolution in past, darkened times and this rayon was in the most catastrophic place not only in Tbilisi, but in the whole Georgia. Due to the old stereotypes, this place had sufficient name as well - Africa - nothing was beyond this place. Recently we have opened here a technical school "Spektri", where people of all ages can get trainings there. The majority of them find jobs after these trainings. Here we have opened sport-complex "Olympic", where we gave free passes to children of socially unsecured families. At the same time we have opened a stadium, much better tennis cords were constructed and tennis cords on River Side is moving in this rayon as well and the judo hall as well. I am not saying anything about roads and infrastructure. In one word the worst residency, where socially most unsecured people lived (though people still live in an extreme hardship) became the most comfortable rayon in whole Georgia. By the way it is very important for me personally, despite the fact that much has to be done still", stated the President.