Sports in Russia

It's very important for people to have some regular exercise. In Russia a lot of people go in for sports. We can say that Russia is a nation of sport-lovers. Many sports are popular in our country. They are football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, tennis, skiing, figure skating, wrestling, shooting and many others. All water sports are widely spread in our country, including swimming, diving, sailing and water skiing. Some people are fond of extreme sports such as rock climbing, potholing or white-water rafting.

Russia's ethnic minorities also have their own traditional forms of exercise. The Yakuts of central Siberia are skilled reindeer-sled racers. Archery is popular with the Buryats of eastern Siberia. On the Amur River in southeastern Russia canoeing is also a popular sport.

Sports in Russia have traditionally been divided into amateur and professional. That's why there are different sports club in the country. A lot of sportsmen take part in international competitions and win medals. A great number of sportsmen take part in the Olympic Games and show excellent results. Hundreds of athletes have become Olympic medalists and record-setters. The names of Irina Rodnina, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Evgenii Kafelnikov, Marat Safin are famous all over the world.

Sporting activities are a part of daily life in Russia. In every school there is a gym and a sports ground. Sport is an important subject at schools and universities. A lot of pupils are trained in sports schools which are run by the major sports clubs.

During the last years there was a great increase in keeping fit and staying healthy in Russia. A lot of people started jogging and going to fitness clubs in their spare time. Aerobics classes and fitness clubs were opened in every town, and the number of recreation centres greatly increased. Indoor pools, with their wave-making machines, water slides and tropical vegetation have become very popular in Russia. Doing sports prevents us from getting too fat and helps to stay healthy.

But despite the increase in the number of people participating in sports, the majority of them still prefer to be spectators. Thousands of people go to the stadiums to support their favourite teams and sportsmen. Most of the important competitions are televized and people enjoy watching sports programmes on TV. But certainly watching sports events and going in for sports are two different things.

1. Why do people go in for sports? 2. What winter sports are popular in Russia? 3. What summer sports are popular in Russia? 4. What sports are practised among Russia's ethnic minorities? 5. What is the difference between amateur and professional sports? 6. Do you know any outstanding Russian sportsmen/women? 7. What other sports activities are popular in Russia? 8. Why is it necessary to have PE at schools and universities? 9. What sports facilities are there in your native town? 10. Do you go in for sports or do you watch sports events on TV?