Russia as the host country of the international
competitions
V.B.
Barabanova
Southern Federal University
of Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Keywords: Olympic Games, infrastructure, sports,
politics and business sports federation,
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political PR, the Olympic movement |
The sport undoubtedly is
a part of the big politics today. First of all, this is the arena of the
struggle for political prestige and rivalry of the large countries. Besides,
though the Cold war ended, the sport continues to remain an instrument of political
pressure, therefore the athletes and the fans generally suffer. But the founder
of the modern Olympic movement Pierre de Coubertin said, «Oh, sport! You are
the world, progress, joy, justice, challenge, nobility, pleasure, architect,
fruitfulness». Therefore, activities must be out of the politics. [1].
Good example of the effective
use of the sport passion of politicians can be favorite kinds of sport of the
Russian presidents. So, if at the time of Yeltsin's government
big tennis was actually considered the
first kind of sport in Russia, with the coming of Putin the attention was switched to judo and skiing. Sports federations are interested to acquire the president
occupying the high post, thereby to guarantee the effective political lobby.
But it was not always so. At the time of the USSR, sports and political
moonlighting was rather the exception rather than the rule. When Russia became
an independent country, life in the sports federations began to proceed by
inertia: nothing new was introduced, sport continued to live separately from
the politics and business, and gradually „kicked the bucket“. Therefore when there were difficulties with financing which is particularly noticeable after the background of narrow-minded
and successful 1970-1980, sports functionaries thought how could they make and
save honor and achieve good results.
The solution was to
attract well-known politicians and public figures at the positions of
presidents of the sports federations. As a result, on the one hand, this sport
was popularized, on the other hand - in the hands of politicians the money was
found from the budget and off-the budget funds for the development of the
sport. The creation of the sports lobby in the government structures was the
main purpose pursued by the sports officials. [2].
By the way, in the developed European countries a situation is different.
After all in the West, sport is a business. The developed industry of sports
mass media helps to raise huge financial funds and develop a certain sport,
without waiting for the support of the country. In the West sport often turns
into the show attracting the audience and sponsors. In Russia sport though has
high potential, but doesn’t have a ‘‘beautiful wrapper’’. Russians practically
watch nothing except football and maybe figure skating. The sport simply won't
survive without support of the country. [3].
If this is football, basketball, figure skating is one thing. The head of
these federations will successfully flash on the TV, citing in papers, and
therefore his rating will increase. In the less popular kinds of sport, the
political PR are reduced to assistance in competition organization, preferably
international, and financing improvement.
One more reason why the politicians agree to be a head
of the sports federations is to work on prospect and envy. There are, of
course, the patriotic politicians who have been really interested in
development of sports, but they are minority.
In Russia not so long ago the Vice-Premier of the
Russian Federation Sergey Naryshkin headed the Russian swimming Federation,
Vice-Premier Alexander Zhukov manages Russian chess Federation, Minister of
agriculture Alexey Gordeev manages judo Federation, Minister of transport Igor
Levitin - the Federation of table tennis, the head of the Ministry of Emergency
Situations Sergey Shoygu - National federation of karate, the Director of FSB
Nikolai Patrushev - volleyball Federation.
According to Naryshkin, the members of the government
don’t have enough time to work as the head of sports federation; however it is
necessary to be engaged in such work. Existence of a certain administrative resource
gives good conditions to support work of the federations. The main motive is to
improve their own image. It won't play a crucial role on elections, but the extra couple thousand of the votes will add. Everything depends on the popularity of the
sport.
The international sports
competitions are connected with the politics. At the time of the Cold war the medal ceremony at the international
competitions indirectly evaluated as the effectiveness of a social system. It is not surprising that the
achievements of the Soviet athletes were considered by the USSR as proof of the
superiority of the socialist system over capitalism.
The government of the Russian Federation is ready to
support suggestions on carrying out in Russia large international sports competitions,
the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin declared. Russia is
ready to receive large sports actions, even taking into account that in the
next seven years the country there will host a series of large competitions. In
2013 in Kazan the summer University games were held, in the 2014th in Sochi -
the Winter Olympic Games, in the 2018th in Russia the FIFA World Cup will take
place.
Putin noted that the Russian authorities with the
public are ready to discuss the opportunities of the activities, which will be
directed on development of physical culture and sport and promotion of healthy
way of lifestyles, said RIA "Novosti". [4].
Applications for holding large
international competitions weren't submitted any more up to the collapse
of the Soviet Union. Since the beginning of the 1990th years in Russia there
wasn’t enough money to finance the large international competitions, besides
available infrastructure didn't meet the requirements of the international
sports organizations. The lack of international sport events led to the low
popularity of sports in the country.
Interest of the country in organizing the international
sports competitions can be explained by the fact that during the preparation and
holding them the universal interest to the country increases that influences
the authority of Russia in the world. So, the RBK magazine said: «If for other
countries holding these activities becomes only a matter of prestige,
for our country it is also a chance. The chance to get rid of the image of a
raw appendage of Europe. The chance to pass from "eternally
promising" to the community of the developed countries. The chance to
change life of the most part of the population, at last».
Also it is considered that such activities have an
impact on the development of the national economy through foreign investment.
However, the winter Olympics over the past 20 years had no effect on the stock
markets of the host countries, the only exception was Italy. For this reason,
commentators were skeptical about the holding the Olympic Games-2014 in Sochi.
There is the other opinion concerning the FIFA World
Cup which will take place in 2018. According to the chief economist of Deutsche
Bank in Russia Yaroslav Lisovolik, the 2018 world Cup will bring considerable
benefit to the economy and the whole country: “This is the direct income from
the realization of the rights of the broadcast, the sale of the advertisement.
Russia will improve the image as a country for tourism. Besides it the country
will have dividends from the infrastructure, especially in regions.[2].
These are the number of the competitions that Russia
will gladly hold:
1. Figure skating World Cup
The
championship-2011 was decided to organize for one and a half month before it.
The tragedy in Japan forced the country to refuse holding the tournament, and
Moscow gave a helping hand to the world of the figure skating. The general sum
of the budget wasn't called. It is known that 207 million rubles from the
reserve fund of the capital were taken.
2. Modern pentathlon world Championship
The championship was to be held in Cairo, but because
of the situation in Egypt, the organizing committee of the tournament decided
to abandon the competition. Russia made an application to the International
Federation. According to some reports the championship cost 3-6 million.
3. The athletics world Championship
Moscow wanted to get athletics
championship in 2005. Then the capital
government guaranteed 30 million dollars
on the preparation and carrying out the competitions, but the tournament was
given to Finland. Preliminary budget of the championship-2013 is 75 million
dollars. However, a significant part of expenses
will provide the international
Federation (IAAF)
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4. Winter
Olympic Games |
Evaluation of the investments
are different. According to some experts, the expenditure
of Russia at the Olympics will
amount to 30 billion dollars, of which more than half of the Federal budget. This sum exceeds the expenses on the previous Games, and the initial financing of the projects.
5. "Formula One" stage
The contract of holding the stages of «Formula-1»,
discussed even in the Brezhnev era, but it was signed last year. The length of
the route will be 5.5 km long and pass directly through the Olympic Park.
According to the Vice-Premier D. Kozak, the cost of the construction of the
road will be 160-200 million, which will be taken from the budget of the
Russian Federation.
6. Summer Universiade in Kazan
Based on the statements of the
head of « University games-2013 Management» V. Leonov, the holding of the student Games is
estimated 5-6 billion. (including 25 billion rubles on the construction of the
sport objects, 80 billion on the roads and transport infrastructure, 40 bln for
the construction of the 6 subway stations). The Federal component of the budget
of the Universiade is about 70 %.
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7. FIFA World Cup V. Putin
said that holding the championship will cost 10 billion dollars. The sum will
go on the construction of the stadiums and infrastructure adjoining to them.
Expert estimates are 4-5 times higher. They include expenses on a
construction of the roads, reconstruction of the airports, etc. The final
scheme of the financing hasn't defined yet. The Ministry of Sport, Tourism
and Youth Policy and the Ministry of Finance have to prepare the offer in
which the balance of means from the federal, regional budgets and investments
of the private investors will be observed till June Russia is also a candidate to hold
the European championship on wrestling (2013) and the world championship of
water kinds of sports (2015 or 2017). Besides, our country is going to submit
the application for conducting youth Games-2018 in Dagestan (decision will be
in 2013). Vladimir
KREYNDEL, senior analyst of the Institute of the financial researches: -
Sponsors, TV broadcasting, tourism are the market-based mechanisms allow
making sports profitable. But there are large-scale projects behind the
sports competitions in Russia (the construction of roads, reconstruction of
the airports, etc.) and enormous expenses. However, the direct duty of the
country is to be engaged in infrastructure development. It can benefit
economy several years later. [1]. I’m afraid
of the number of the actions which our country with the lack of high-quality
calculations tries to hold. The detailed analysis of the opportunities of the
budget isn't visible. The situation with the money in the budget is partly
stabilized because of the rise of the prices on patrol. But after all the
situation can be negative. And what then? |
Literature
1. http://www.inosmi.ru/sport
2. http://expressnovosti.narod.ru
3. http://www.geopolitika.lt/?artc
4.http://izvestia.ru/news
Today,
the sport is part of a larger
policy. It is the arena of the struggle for political prestige and competition of large states. It is also believed that such activities
have an impact on the country's economy
through foreign investment. The state's interest in international sporting events can be explained
by the fact that during the preparation
and conduct of increased global
interest in the country, which has a beneficial
effect on the credibility of Russia in the world. The
Russian authorities are ready to work with the public to discuss the possibility of holding events that will
focus on the development of physical
culture and sports, and the
promotion of healthy lifestyles