The event, with a particular emphasis on Russia, will take place at the official House of Russia in London's Kensington Gardens during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Mutko (pictured above) is the Russian Minister for Sport and former President of both the Russian Football Union and reigning Premier League champions Zenit St Petersburg.

He was also involved with the successful Russian bid to bring the World Cup to the country in 2018 and is on the supervisory board for Sochi 2014.

Kozak (pictured below, right) is Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and responsible for Sochi's preparations to stage the Winter Olympic and Paralympics in 2014.



He will also speak about Formula One's first Russian round scheduled for Sochi in 2014.

Both men will bring significant knowledge and experience of Russian sport to GSIC 2012, at what is a pivotal moment for the country with so many major sports events taking place in the years to come.

For example, Russia is hosting the Confederations Cup in 2017 and the World Athletics Championships will be held in Moscow next year.

Moscow will also stage the World Ice Hockey Championships with St Petersburg in 2016 and Kazan is hosting both the 2013 Universiade and the World FINA Aquatic Championships in 2015.



Mutko and Kozak join a cast of high level speakers which will include Alexander Zhukov, President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and deputy speaker of the Russian State Duma, who will be chairing the event.

Sochi 2014 organising committee President Dmitry Chernyshenko is also among the speakers, alongside Kazan 2013 President Vladimir Leonov.

Others on the panel for the event include Robert Gruman, the advisory practise leader for Pricewaterhouse Coopers Russia, the GSIC knowledge partner, and the managing director of Sportslab Marketing, Oleg Beriev.

Sportslab Marketing are working with communications company Eventica to put on the GSIC.

Also taking part are two senior officials from the Russian state corporation Olympstroy – their director of environment and legacy, Gleb Vatletzov and chief architect Oleg Harchenko.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

The GSIC 2012 takes place on August 2 at the official House of Russia in Kensington Gardens, London. For more details on the event, including how to register, click here.


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