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Championships Ambassadors

Championships Ambassadors

Renowned, talented and merited athletes and public figures who serve as strong role models for present-day youth were awarded the Kazan 2015 Ambassador title. The names of the first Ambassadors were revealed one year before the start of the FINA World Championships.
Ambassadors are part of the Kazan 2015 team and promote positive values, sport and healthy lifestyles.

Vladimir Salnikov

Famous Soviet swimmer, four-time Olympic champion, repeat world and European champion, world record holder. Merited Master of Sport of the USSR (1978), trainee of the Ekran Sports School (St. Petersburg), member of the CSKA team. Since February 2010, he is the President of the Russian Swimming Federation. He shares the record for the highest number of Olympic gold medals won by Soviet/Russian swimmers (4) with Alexander Popov. He graduated from the Leningrad State Institute of Physical Culture named after P.F. Lesgaft (1981).

During his sports career, Salnikov earned plenty of nicknames: ‘Water Monster’, ‘Iron Man’, ‘Man Without Nerves’, ‘Record-setting Machine’, ‘Great Salnikov’.
Vladislav Babichev

Russian volleyball player. Native of Kazan. Vladislav has been playing in the Zenit Kazan Voleybal Club for over 15 years now. During all these years, his team has won numerous titles. Vladislav Babichev is a seven-time Russian champion, three-time CEV Champions League gold medallist, four-time Russian Cup title holder.

Having won the Be a Kazan 2015 Ambassador project, Vladislav Babichev was appointed an Ambassador for the 16th FINA World Championships