Evgeni Aldonin, Russian footballer, two-time champion of Russia and five-time winner of the Russian Cup and winner of the UEFA Cup 2005 shared his opinion about the hybrid former of Games of the Future and added jokingly that he would dare to participate in the phygital tournament if he were to team up in one duo with his son.
— I think it’s the general trend our youth is following. Clearly, I am not always evaluating positively (the passion for computer games), because I believe we’d better try to distract the kids from the gadgets. [On the other hand] maybe we didn’t have such opportunity – who knows. If I were a kid now I would be gladly playing computer games. Sure, there is the motor skills factor, but the kids also need to be active and take up real sport. Nevertheless, you can’t just take it away from life, so if you can combine, why not.
— One of the disciplines at the Games of the Future is the football double-event where athletes compete in mini-football and then continue to clash playing game consoles moving to the virtual universe, would you agree to take such a challenge?
— I am kind of old already, it seems to me (smiling). If only there are two lineups: I get to play on the real pitch and somebody else, suppose, my son, sits at the game console.
— Does your son ever invite you to play the game console with him? To play computer games?
— No, he is too small yet, I was just kidding around. He is 5,5-year old, he enjoys playing some simple games, he likes it, but still I try to distract him to make sure he spends more time doing something more physically active. Right now, he sat on a two-wheel bike, he is just happy riding bike in circles.
