Sports in Russia

Millions of people all over the world go in for sports. People in this country are sport-lovers, too. Many sports are popular in Russia, such as hockey, soccer, track-and-field, weightlifting tennis, basketball, volleyball, figure-skating, cross-country skiing swimming, shooting and many others. Sporting activities are a part of daily life in Russia. Most Russians growing up in the North, grow with outdoor winter sports and activities, such as skiing and skating. In all parts of Russia fishing is extremely popular. All water sports are wide-spread, including swimming diving, sailing, water skiing, canoeing. In all schools there is a gym and a sports ground. Sports is a subject on the curriculum of all schools and universities.

Much attention is paid in this country to organized sports. There are different sporting societies and clubs in Russia. Many of them take part in different international tournaments and are known all over the world. A great number of our sportsmen participate in the Olympic Games. Russian athletes have won more medals than any other team in all Olympics since 1956. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics the united teams of the former Soviet republics won 45 gold medals.

National and international matches are regularly held in Russia. They attract large numbers of fans. There is a lot of live broadcasting of matches and championships in this country. Many of them are televised. Russian people have always paid much attention to sport. Sport keeps people fit and healthy and makes them better disciplined in their daily activities.

Sports in this country have traditionally been divided into amateur and professional. The core of professional sports is sporting societies. Millions from beginners to champions are members of sporting clubs and societies. There is a member of national sports societies like the Spartak or the Dynamo which have their local branch clubs throughout the country. Youngsters from the age of 7 to 18 are trained in sports schools which are run by the major sports clubs. The schools cover a wide range of sports, from track and field and calisthenics to boxing.

Since their debut at the Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952 Russia has been a participant of all the Olympiads. Russian sportsmen sportswomen have collected numerous gold, silver and bronze medals. Numerous Olympic and world records have been broken and are still held.

There are sports clubs at many enterprises and offices. Many of them are fee-paying now, but the membership fee is moderate. At these and other amateur clubs and keep-fit centres people go in for aerobics, yoga, body-building, swimming, skating, jogging.

Participation in sports in this country is massive by any standards.