Sports in Russia. Olympic games.

   Millions of people all over the world are fond of sports and games. Sport helps people to stay in good shape, keeps them fit, healthy and makes them more organized and better disciplined in their daily activities.

We have always paid great attention to sport in our schools, colleges and universities. You can hardly find a school without a gym or a sports ground. Every city and town has a few stadiums or swimming pool where local competitions are usually held.

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 world records have been set by Russian sportsmen: gymnasts, tennis players, swimmers, figure skaters, runners, high jumpers. Our sportsmen also participate in the Olympic Games and always win a lot of gold, silver and bronze medals.

There are also a lot of amateur clubs and keep-fit centers in Russia where people go in for aerobics, yoga, body-biding, swimming, skating. Thousand of people go to the stadium to support their favorite team and many many thousand more prefer to watch the games on TV.

The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in Greece and took place every four years for near twelve centuries at Olympia. They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olympia to compete in the Games. For the period of the Games all the wars stopped. So the Olympic Games became the symbol of peace and friendship.

In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many centuries later.

In 1896 the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the central policy-making body of the Olympic movement. It is formed by the representatives of all countries which take part in the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee decides upon the program of the games, the number of the participants and the city-host for the Games. Over one hundred and fifty countries are represented in the International Olympic Committee now. 

Summer and Winter Games are held separately. There are always several cities wishing to host the Games. The most suitable is selected by the International Committee. After that the city of the Games starts preparations for the competitions, constructs new sports facilities, stadiums, hotels, press centers. Thousand of athletes, journalists and guests come to the Games, and it takes great efforts to arrange everything. There is always an interesting cultural program of concerts, exhibitions, festivals for each Games. 

Russia joined the Olympic movement in 1952.

Vocabulary

to abolish – отменять                    city-host – город-хозяин  О. игр

to renew – возобновлять               separately – отдельно

to be held – проводиться               to host - принимать

to set up -  организовать                suitable - подходящий

policy-making body –                    sports facilities - спортивные

орган, определяющий                     сооружения

политику, цели (олимпий-                to arrange – устраивать, органи-

ского движения)                                зовать

representative – предста-              sports event – спортивное соре-

витель                                                 внование