MOSCOW, April 19 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law which regulates legal relations arising in connection with the holding of the World Friendship Games in Russia, the corresponding document is posted on the website of the official publication of legal acts.
The law prohibits the display of alcohol advertising during the Games, and its sale is also prohibited. The initiative also assumes that there will be no advertising of bookmakers.
The document also notes that a simplified visa regime will be introduced for foreign citizens participating in the competition. In addition, foreign citizen volunteers will not need to obtain permission to work at competitions and will not need to send notifications of arrival at the tournament. With the changes to the Tax Code that the initiative suggests, the participants and organizers of the tournament will be exempt from paying personal income tax and VAT — this change will concern prize money, the cost of food, travel, accommodation, sports equipment, and sports uniforms. In addition, the law introduces free travel at the Games, but only along the route of the sports competition — within the specific city where the tournament will be held.
Federal law defines the powers of the entities organizing and implementing the World Friendship Games events: the International Friendship Association (IFA), the organizer of the sports competition, the organizing committee. It is envisaged that the Games themselves will be held at the expense of the federal budget, the budget of the constituent entities, the local budget, and targeted deductions from gambling transferred to the organizer of the sports competition.