SPORT IN RUSSIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 September 1942, Page 4

SPORT IN RUSSIA

SERIOUS VIEW TAKEN’ PHYSICAL CULTURE. CONTRIBUTION TO SOVIET EFFICIENCY. Imperial Russia was the first country to appoint a Minister of Sports, but in 1914 she had only 250 sports clubs with a membership of approximately 30,000. writes M. Deutsch in the “Sydney Morning Herald.” The Soviets in 1934 had about 30,000 trade union sports clubs with 6,000,000 men and women members. While the world is paying tribute to the fighting qualities, the initiative and physical fitness of the Russian armies, one of the most important factors contributing to Soviet efficiency is still hardly known: It is the intensive physical training which the ■ nation had to undergo during the last 20 years in accordance with the plans of the Russian Supreme Council for Physical Culture. To the masses of the Russian people in 1914, the ideas of sports and physical culture were virtually unknown. In 1940 the U.S.S.R. had 110 aero-clubs, and 200,000 amateur parachutists. Today ,the Russian Air Force draws from these enormous reserves. In the same year, more than 10,000,000 men and women were bearers of the official Russian sports badge, which is the visible confirmation that their physical fitness and efficiency in sports have been successfully tested. These millions of trained sportsmen are fighting Russia’s war on all fronts. SPORTS GRADUATES. When the Supreme Council for Physical Culture began work, virtually from scratch, it first had to make the nation sports-minded. A big publicity campaign was launched. Support was given by the newspapers, radio, schools, and pictures. Even postal stamps were used to press home the idea of sporting activity. A very important step in the physical culture campaign was the man-to-man propaganda by travelling sportinstructors, mostly graduates from the big universities for physical education.

In 1930, there were five of these universities in the U.S.S.R. —Leningrad, Moscow, Kiev, Minsk, and Tiflis each had one. Year by year an everincreasing number of young men and women graduated from these universities.

Graduates were immediately drafted lo teacher positions in the 28 High schools for physical education. While the university course lasts four years, the High school course ranges from six to 12 months, and here thousands of instructors are trained every year. By 1940 the number of universities for physical education was already nine, and 10,000 instructors were trained in the 50 High schools. Hand-in-hand with the big development of all sporting activities arose the need for medical specialists. SPECIAL DOCTORS. According to a conservative estimate, the U.S.S.R. has 5,000 sports doctors, medical men who specialised in the treatment of sports accidents and diseases. These doctors receive their training in one or another of the. 24 universities of the U.S.S.R., special lectures and research departments being provided for this post-graduate work. Up to 1935, it was the policy of the Supreme Council of Physical Culture to brfing sport to the broad masses. It was rather qu'antity than quality they cared for. From 1935 the council’s policy changed and the idea of competitions and records came to the foreground. The council arranged for some of the leading European athletes to visit Russia, to lecture and to compete with the local athletes. Russian champions were offered handsome prizes and rewards. When in 1941 the swimmer Boitschenko broke the world record for 100 metres breaststroke (65.4), he was awarded 3,000 roubles. The average standard of performance improved rapidly, and in many games the Russians are now up to the best international, standards.

One of the outstanding features of the sporting life in the U.S.S.R. is the high quality of organised sports for women. As a fact, women’s sports were always treated as equally important with men’s sports. One of the main events of the Ist of May festivals in Moscow, is always the big relay coinpetition, “Around Moscow City.” ' Each team comprises 30 members, 10 female runners and 20 males. In the U.S.S.R. women are not only active in sports, they are very popular as umpires too. Prominent pioneers of the women’s sports in Russia are Mrs Vera Fedorova, the champion in parachute jumping, and Miss Maria Issakova, the world skating champion.

PLACE FOR SOCCER.

It is hard to say which game is the most popular. So far as the big cities are concerned, Soccer undoubtedly is the biggest attraction. There used to be League and cup competitions, with crowds of up to 60,000 and 100.000 spectators when a cup final or an international match was being played. The leading teams, however, are not as good as the best British or Scottish professional teams ,but can hold their own against Continental competition.

The test for the G.T.O. (Sport) Badge is rather severe, and the successful applicants have not only to satisfy the judges of their ability, fitness and performances, but to show knowledge in first-aid and A.R.P. work. About 87 per cent of the Russian Army and first-line reserve troops have been awarded the G.T.O. Badge. The Russian Government has spared neither efforts nor money in promoting physical education. In 1937 100,000,000 roubles were provided in the Budget: in the next year's Budget nearly 250,000,000 roubles were allocated.

Industries were established to provide cheap and good sporting materials. It is not generally known that the U.S.S.R. produces excellent tennis rackets which are considered to be the best value in this line in the world. Russia, too, is leading in the manufacturing of skis. Varying Wellington’s words about Eton and Waterloo, future generations will perhaps say: The war against the Nazis was decided on the 10,000 sports grounds and in the 3,500 gymnastic halls which the Soviet Government provided between 1921 and 1941.