Sport in Russia

Information about Sport in Russia

Russia is a keen sporting country, successful at a number of sports and continuously finishing in the top rankings at the Olympic games. During the Soviet era the team placed first in the total number of medals won at 14 of its 18 appearances; with these performances, the USSR was the dominant Olympic power of its era. Since the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952 and continuing today, the Soviet and later Russian athletes never went below third place in the world (never below 2nd until the most recent Olympics), in number and gold medals collected at the Summer Olympics.

Among the most played sports are football and ice hockey.^[1]

Other sports widely played in Russia include weightlifting, gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, martial arts, volleyball, basketball and skiing.

Football

See main: Football in Russia

Olympics

See main: Russia at the Olympics

During the Soviet era the team placed first in the total number of medals won at 14 of its 18 appearances;^[2] with these performances, the USSR was the dominant Olympic power of its era.^[3] Since the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952 and continuing today, the Soviet and later Russian athletes never went below third place in the world, in number and gold medals collected at the Summer Olympics. The 1980 Summer Olympic Games were held in Moscow while the 2014 Winter Olympics will be hosted by Sochi.

Ice hockey

Where football is played more as a pastime than professionally, Russia's ice hockey team has a long history of traditions and success, and today more than 70 Russians play in the NHL.

Winter sports

Figure skating is another popular sport; in the 1960s the Soviet Union rose to become a dominant power in figure skating, especially in pairs skating and ice dancing. At every Winter Olympics from 1964 until the present day, a Soviet or Russian pair has won gold, often considered the longest winning streak in modern sports history.

Tennis

Since the end of the Soviet era tennis has grown in popularity and Russia has produced a number of famous tennis players.

Chess

Chess is a favourite pastime, and a sport that has been dominated by Russians in the post-war (1945-) era. The winner of the 1948 World Chess Championship, Russian Mikhail Botvinnik, started an era of Soviet dominance in the chess world. Until the end of the Soviet Union, there was only one non-Soviet champion.

Rugby union

See main: Rugby union in Russia

Rugby union is a growing sport in Russia. Russia is ranked 18th worldwide by the International Rugby Board (IRB) ^[4] with a little over 13,000 players nationally.^[5] Russia has a professional domestic competition, the Firepower Professional Rugby League, including teams from Moscow (two clubs), Krasnoyarsk (two clubs), Chita, Krasnodar, Novokuznetsk and Penza. Krasnoyarsk, a large Siberian city, has traditionally been the stronghold of Russian rugby union. Domestic matces are covered in in the local media, and the intra-city derby match between sides Krasny Yar and Enisei-STM can attract large crowds.

Rugby league

See main: Rugby league in Russia

Rugby league is a team sport in Russia. Russia competed at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup and was knocked out in the group stage. It is currently ranked 13th in the world by the Rugby League International Federation.^[6]

References

1. ^ Russian Sport Activities Russia.com
2. ^ Summer Olympics Through The Years. Infoplease.com
3. ^ The main game in a dragon's lair Sydney Morning Herald
4. ^ Official IRB Rankings
5. ^ Official Russia Playing Numbers
6. ^ RLIF January ranking

• • [ e] Sport in Europe
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¹ Entirely in West Asia; included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. ² Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia. ³ Partially in Asia. ⁴ Entirely in the African Plate, included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. ⁵ Only recognised by Turkey.

Anthem
Hymn of the Russian Federation

Capital
(and largest city) Moscow

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Olympic Games (often referred to simply as The Olympics or The Games^[1]) is an international multi-sport event subdivided into summer and winter sporting events. The summer and winter games are each held every four years (an Olympiad^[2]).
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Association football, commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players. It is the most popular sport in the world.
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Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey in Canada and the United States, is a team sport played on ice. It is a speedy and physical sport. Ice hockey is most popular in areas that are sufficiently cold for natural, reliable seasonal ice cover, though with the advent
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Weightlifting is a sport in which competitors attempt to lift heavy weights mounted on steel bars called barbells, the execution of which is a combination of power, flexibility, concentration, skill, will power, disipline (very important) athleticness, fitness, technique, and
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Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, gracefulness, and kinesthetic awareness, and includes such skills as handsprings, handstands, split leaps, aerials and cartwheels.
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Boxing (or pugilism) is a combat sport of English origin in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their fists in a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds.
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Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two unarmed persons, in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of their opponent. Physical techniques which embody the style of wrestling are clinching, holding, locking, and leverage.
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Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. They may be studied for various reasons including combat skills, fitness, self-defense, sport, self-cultivation/meditation, mental discipline, character development and building self-confidence,
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Volleyball

Typical volleyball action

Highest governing body FIVB
First played 1895, Holyoke, Massachusetts (USA)
Characteristics
Contact No Contact
Team Members 6
Mixed Gender Single
Category Indoor
Ball Volleyball
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Snow Skiing is a group of sports and activities holding in common the use of skis, devices which slide on snow and attach with ski bindings and ski boots to people's feet. Skiing sports differ from snowshoeing in that skis slide, and they differ from ice-skating, water skiing, and
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Football (soccer) was one of the most popular sports. While the national teams and the clubs used to be all under the wing of the Communist party, in 1991 they became private enterprises.
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Russia at the Olympic Games

Flag of Russia
IOC code: RUS
NOC: Russian Olympic Committee
external link
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1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were held in Moscow in the Soviet Union. Another candidate in the bid to organize the Olympics was Los Angeles.
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Москв? (Russian)

Location of Moscow in Europe
Coordinates

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This article or section contains information about a sporting event or team.
It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change as the event approaches and more information becomes available.
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Соч? (Russian)
Шъач?
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Sport Ice hockey
Founded 1917
No. of teams 30
Country(ies) Canada
United States

Most recent champion(s) Anaheim Ducks

TV partner(s) CAN: CBC, TSN, RDS, RIS, RSN (regional)
USA:
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Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, couples, or groups perform spins, jumps, and other moves on ice. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level (senior), and at local, national, and international competitions.
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Tennis is a game played between two players (singles) or between two teams of two players (doubles). Players use a stringed racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court.
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World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Both men and women are eligible to contest this title.

In addition, there is a separate event for women only, for the title of "Woman's World Champion", and separate competitions and
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Mikhail Botvinnik

Full name Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik
Country Soviet Union
Born August 17, 1911
Kuokkala, Finland
Died May 5, 1995
Moscow, Russia

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Rugby union in Russia is a growing sport. Russia is ranked 18th worldwide by the International Rugby Board (IRB) ^[1], having a little over 13,000 players nationally.^[2] Russia has a professional domestic competition.
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Anthem
Hymn of the Russian Federation

Capital
(and largest city) Moscow

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Russia

Union Rugby Union of Russia
Nickname(s) Bears (unofficial)

Coach Claude Saurel

Captain Viacheslav Grachev

　
Team colours

　
Change colours

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International Rugby Board

Formation 1886
Type Sports federation
Headquarters Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Membership 115 unions
Chairman Bernard Lapasset
Website [1]

The International Rugby Board (IRB)
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Sport Rugby union
Founded 2005
No. of teams 8
Country(ies) Russia

Most recent champion(s) VVA-Podmoskovye Monino Professional Rugby League (Russian:
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