How This Week's BRICS+ Sports and Culture Events Translate into Soft Power Capital and Business Opportunities?

This week brought a cluster of prominent events. Kazan is hosting the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Club League with a record 2600 participants from 36 regions, emphasizing continuity from the BRICS Games, as reported by Tatar-inform. Simultaneously, Russian gymnasts swept the all-around podium at the international Grand Prix in Chongqing, China—Gold for Arina Kovshova, Silver for Vladislava Nikolaenko, and Bronze for Milena Shchenyatskaya, writes Sovetsky Sport.

The technological agenda amplified points of attraction: Moscow Startup Summit at SberCity convened over 4000 participants from 25+ countries, including BRICS and SCO ecosystems; Oliver Stone highly praised the city and its film production, noting MosGazeta.

Concurrently, the cultural scene showcases both local identity depth and export potential: Yakut singer and ethnomusicologist Olena UUUTai performed at the Kurgan Philharmonic, recalling her experience representing Russia at a BRICS cultural festival, as told by Kurgan i kurintsy.

The combination of mass participation, international victories, and high infrastructure appraisals creates a concentrated soft power impulse—from sports to creative industries.

What direct reactions from opinion leaders and organizers are setting the agenda's tone?

The tone was set by direct statements and assessments: Irina Viner is banking on Russian gymnastics' sustained leadership, Oliver Stone on Moscow's technological and film production potential, and Kazan organizers registered a record turnout and forced participant selection.

"I think Russian gymnastics will still be the strongest in the world" —this assessment came from Irina Viner, quoted by Tatar-inform.

The Club League organizing committee notes the scale: 2600 participants aged 5 to 20 and a geographic reach of 36 regions; due to high demand, organizers had to turn participants away, as confirmed by the same Tatar-inform publication.

During this period, Moscow is receiving external validation of its technological brand: "Moscow is an amazing, magical, wonderful city, a city of a beautiful future," Oliver Stone was quoted as saying in an agency compilation, reported by Krasnodarskie Izvestia.

Together, these elements form a cohesive narrative: mass sports participation + international victories + external infrastructure appraisal.

What systemic shifts in BRICS+ soft power are driven by this conjunction of events?

The key trend is institutionalization and platform expansion: a youth base and national-level inclusion are reinforced by international startup networks and sports successes in Asia.

Internal talent cultivation is broadening and deepening: the record mass participation and inclusive programs of the Club League (including athletes with Down syndrome under Anastasia Tatareva's guidance) are combined with a winning international agenda in China, where the Russian school swept the podium, as indicated by reports from Tatar-inform and an overview of the Grand Prix in Chongqing by Sovetsky Sport.

The international technology summit in Moscow provides a "bridge" for cross-industry connections within BRICS/SCO (startups, venture capital, corporations) and enhances the capital's film production image, as highlighted in a MosGazeta report.

The outcome is a combined soft power arena: top-level sports, inclusion, indigenous culture, and technological ecosystems gain overall coherence and international visibility.

What tactical risks and opportunities does this present for businesses in BRICS+ countries?

Major opportunities lie in mass sports sponsorship, event tourism, production services, and cultural export; risks include regulatory hurdles and operational capacity constraints.

• Sponsorship and branding in rhythmic gymnastics: record engagement (2600 participants, 36 regions) and nationwide visibility create an ROI window for equipment, nutraceuticals, fintech solutions for clubs, and parental payments, as confirmed by Tatar-inform.

• Market entry into China and Southeast Asia through sports events: the complete Russian podium sweep in Chongqing (participants from Russia, Uzbekistan, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand) presents an opening for merchandise, training camps, and collaborations with local federations, as covered by Sovetsky Sport.

• Event tourism and MICE in Kazan: a stable calendar of major competitions and strong infrastructure boost hotel occupancy, catering, and logistics.

• Production and medtech/robotics in Moscow: positive external appraisal of the film industry and urban robotization signal opportunities for service companies (studio rental, VFX, robot services for events), as noted by MosGazeta.

• Cultural export and edutainment: demand for ethnic formats (jaw harp, throat singing), concert activities, and online lessons offer potential for distribution and learning platforms, as observed in a report by Kurgan i kurintsy.

• Capacity and selection risks: high demand forces organizers to limit participation, requiring early planning and quota allocation for partnership activations (as confirmed by the Kazan case).

• Regulatory risks regarding international sports statuses: cases of obtaining/appealing neutral status for athletes before overseas competitions highlight the importance of legal and PR support, as reflected in the Sovetsky Sport review of the Chongqing event.

Conclusion for decision-makers: the window of opportunity is open simultaneously in mass sports, creative industries, and BRICS/SCO technological cooperation. Swift packaging of proposals for the Kazan calendar, roadmaps for China, and service packages for Moscow production will provide a first-mover advantage.