KAZAN, Russia (AA) – The World Ethnosport Confederation aims to host at least 3,000 athletes from 100 nations at the next World Nomad Games, the confederation’s president said on Monday.

“The World Nomad Games may seem only to be related nomadic cultures, but nomad is now only in the name. These games are the largest traditional sporting event in the world. This year, our target is 3,000 athletes from 100 countries,” Bilal Erdogan said in an interview at the Kazan Global Youth Summit, organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Underlining the diversity of the countries in which the confederation had a presence, including Mexico, Argentina, and Japan, Erdogan said they had inked agreements of intent with the sports ministries of 13 nations to support traditional sports in their countries.

Despite this expansion and regular events, traditional sports were still “adversely affected” during the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

Emphasizing the importance of traditional sports in the Turkic world, Erdogan voiced hope for the World Nomad Games to become a brand of the Organization of Turkic States.

Under the leadership of the World Ethnosport Confederation, the Fourth World Nomad Games are to be held in the western Bursa province of Türkiye from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.