(wywiad nie został przetłumaczony przez wzgląd na Pana Zakirova)
Alex Zakirov – also known as Alex No – President of European Pole Sport & Workout Union, a man who iniciated the European Pole Sport Championships and also the World Asscociation Pole Sport, Workout & Air Acrobatics (WAPSWA), which is created in cooperation with International Olimpic Committee. In December 2014 WAPSWA will organize 1st World Pole Sport Championships.
Alex Zakirov – Prezes Europejskiego Związku Pole Sport (European Pole Sport & Workout Union), osoba, która zainicjowała Mistrzostwa Europy Pole Sport oraz powstanie Światowego Stowarzyszenia Pole Sport (World Association Pole Sport, Workout & Air Acrobatics - WAPSWA), które jest tworzone przy bezpośredniej współpracy z Międzynarodowym Komitetem Olimpijskim i którego Stowarzyszenie Pole Sport Polska jest członkiem. Jeszcze w tym roku (grudzień 2014) WAPSWA zorganizuje Mistrzostwa Świata Pole Sport.
Natalia Maria Wojciechowska: Since not many people know you and know where you came from to pole industry I would like to ask very basic question - when and where were you born?
Alex Zakirov: I was born on May 27, 1977 in the city of Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan. I grew up in the small area Chilanzar, my mother worked as the accountant, and my father was professionally engaged in boxing, had a rank of the Master of sports and a title of the Champion of the Republic of Uzbekistan on boxing.
NMW: What is your education?
AZ: I graduated from Sports school of rowing sports and at the age of 12 I was entitled the Candidate for the master of sports on rowing on kayaks. When I was 19 years old I graduated from the Tashkent Choreographic school and then I moved to Moscow. In 2005 I received the qualification of the coach on Cheerleading in the Moscow state academy of physical education.
NMW: When did you get involved in pole sports?
AZ: I started trainings in 2002 in Moscow and I was interested in the development of this sport in the world. I began to meet representatives and leaders in other countries and traveled to visit trainings and to exchange my experience. So I visited at first America, then the countries of Asia and, after that, the countries of the European Union.
NMW: Why did you start at all?
AZ: I worked in the Tashkent state circus as the air rope-walker and the air acrobatics is the part of career and life for me. For this reason, I realized at once that pole sport has a huge value and it will have an enormous possibilities around the world as a sports movement. And I was right. I love pole sport sincerely and for me it is a great honor to render assistance in its development.
NMW: Why European Pole Sport and Workout Union (EPSWU) was created?
AZ: EPSWU was created to associate National Federations of pole sport&workout, operating in the territory of the European Union. Main goal of EPSWU is the development of two sports and their disciplines – pole sport and workout and support in the legal registration of National Federations in the countries of the European Union. Certainly, the most important problem of EPSWU, is the creation the atmosphere of trust between the countries and the world community as a whole, the motivation of each athlete and the representative to keep the development of pole sport and workout and the idea of healthy lifestyle. For me as for the President of EPSWU, each athlete's and the representative's point of view is very important and his opinion is very significant.
NMW: What is your idea to develop pole sport in Europe?
AZ: On how to develop pole sport in Europe decide all members of EPSWU. My opinion – it is necessary to support any initiatives in the direction of official recognition of pole sport as sport in Europe and the world and I precisely know that it is correct and it will be supported by many athletes.
NMW: You are not very known or liked in pole dance industry – how do you think, why?
AZ: Today pole dance differs from pole sport very much and probably it is the reason of continuous dialogues on this subject. I firmly consider that pole sport and pole dance have nothing in common, except a shell and have to develop as the separate directions.
NMW: Now the majority of national federations are united with IPSF - why do they have to come to WAPSWA as well or why to unite with WPSWA (World Association Pole Sport, Workout & Air Acrobatics) instead joining IPSF?
AZ: Activity of World Association of Pole Sport, Workout and Air Acrobatic (WAPSWA) will be constructed at legal association of National Federations and the Continental Unions as equality of a voice of each member and association of efforts of world sports community. Membership in WAPSWA is open, but strictly submits to rules of the International Olympic Movement. Everyone is free in his choice of the organization in which wants to consist as a member and in the activity. I think, members of WAPSWA will become those who are interested in recognizing pole sport as sport movement.
NMW: For readers to get to know you even more – tell us about your achievemnets in pole sport as coach.
AZ:
2006 – Pole Sport marathon – Spain – 1 place of Viorika Vencheto
2007 – Pole Sport marathon – Italy – 1 place of Viorika Vencheto
2008 – Pole Sport marathon – Germany – 1 place of Viorika Vencheto
2009 – Pole Sport Russia – Russia - 1 place of Viorika Vencheto
2010 - Battle of Pole - Sweden - the 4th place of Anzhela Kulagina
2011 - Battle of Pole - Sweden - the 4th place of Elena Koroteeva
2012 – Pole Sport Russia – Russia – 1 place the category Group (Russian national team)
2012 – European Pole Sport Championship – Italy - 1 place the category Group (Russian national team)
2013 – Pole Sport Russia – Russia – 1 place the category Group (Russian national team), the Mix duet, category Children of 10-14 years
2013 – Championship International Pole Sport – Spain – 1 place the category Group (Russian national team)
2013 – European Pole Sport Championship – the Czech Republic - 1 place the category Group (Russian national team), the Mix duet
NMW: Why do you think it is necessary to change something in the world pole sport and what do you think needs to be done?
AZ: Now Pole sport is at very important stage of its development. I think, it is necessary to change public opinion and also attitude towards it as to fully recognized sport on an equal basis with the conventional Olympic sports.
Among us there are no best and there are no worst, we, such what we are and everyone's contribution is very important and actual now.
NMW: What is the deffinition of good leader?
AZ: The task of each leader is to fulfill the obligations honestly and faithfully and his business is an indicator of its destinations. Immanuel Kant truly wrote: "The star sky over me and the moral law in me". Everyone is free to arrive according to the internal moral law of the personality.
European Pole Sport Championships - 27 th of September - Prague/Czech Republic
World Pole Sport Championship - 13 th of December - Prague/Czech Repupublic
