In the context of the Paris Olympics, some journalists and bloggers are experiencing a “summer worsening”. Listen, we are saying how much our sport has fallen behind in isolation!
It is difficult for me to understand on what basis such statements are based. Have there been few world or even all-Russian records lately? What is the incentive to try to install them? The Russian Swimming Federation attracted sponsors and promised quite impressive prizes – and the results immediately appeared. Although Zhenya Chikunova says that money is not a motivation for her. She knows better. We quite often discuss in our sports community what exactly is the “engine of progress”, but here I speak exclusively and on my own behalf: the real motivation is recognition. Money is one of the forms. Another, for example, is a full and roaring stadium. A million new subscribers on social networks. Young subscribers are advised to try to be like you.
Why don’t we remain world-class even in isolation? We have a lot of excellent stadiums and sports facilities – those that I know, where I train, are absolutely in no way inferior to European stadiums. Kislovodsk, Sochi, Tyumen, Khanty-Mansiysk, Malinovka, Raubichi in Belarus. I am ready to argue substantially with any “expert” who will claim that Vuokatti or Livigno are somehow better.
European stadiums and training centres have only one unconditional advantage: this is where almost all world competitions take place.
Our coaches not only have not lost the qualifications that allowed us to win at the Olympics, but they are also ahead of the world level in many respects. Yes, they are probably lagging behind in some respects – we cannot be ahead of everyone in everything! But the work continues, seminars and conferences are held at the Russian International Olympic University, and the best ideas are analyzed. I can say with confidence that we are now training in many different ways than, for example, in 2021. A lot of new, complex, effective. I am much stronger than I was a few years ago – and this is not the limit.
The prize money of our main competitions is also quite worthy – quite comparable to what is paid in many countries for victories at the Olympic Games. How much will Katie Ledecky receive for gold at the Olympics? About as much as the already mentioned Chikunova. Another thing, the American has advertising contracts with at least five major brands. This is what we lack so much – a line of potential sponsors directly to the pedestal! Hey, Russian companies and corporations, where are you? When you offer contracts to Zhenya Chikunova, we have no better athlete now!
The most interesting thing is that our consumer market is growing, and Russian companies are confidently mastering the niches vacated by Western brands. But the Pennsylvania chocolate factory that left Russia sponsors the American swimmer, and where is the Moscow, St. Petersburg or Togliatti chocolate factory? Why do our businessmen still live under the slogan “a good thing will sell itself”, while Americans and Europeans know for sure that it will not sell and will not pay athletes for their promotion?
Let’s go further. All the world-class competitions take place there and in a way that is suitable for television. Moreover, on the TV channel that paid more. Don’t believe me? Look at what time the athletics finals are at the Paris Olympics or when the basketball Dream Team plays.
Many of our competition organizers have not yet matured in understanding this important factor. In some places, everything is already fine, but in others we still need to work and work on it. I honestly do not see any difference in the quality of broadcasting the RPL or the European Championship on , but I see between the broadcasting of athletics competitions there and here. And in the field of ski racing, it is not yet understood that we must adapt to television, and not vice versa.
If you read my ideas above carefully, you must agree: if we lack something, it is the interest of the public. We ourselves have made idols of the Olympic champions. Prizes, gifts, attention. Believe me, I know what I am talking about! The Olympic Games are a promoted brand, nothing more.
Why not try to organize a match between China and Russia between swimmers? Don’t try to bring as many athletes as possible, only those who are currently in the world’s top ten. If there are five, let them swim five. Two means two. But this should really be an alternative to the Olympics to warm up the audience. They say that the water in Kazan is very fast, which means that it should be driven there, there is a chance to record.
Yes, it will not work like this in ski racing – all the current leaders of the World Cup come from very hostile countries. They will not come to us anymore, even for a million dollars. The key word is “now”. Because one day they will leave. Our task until then is to create such a tournament that they will watch and envy. Everything is going in the right direction – major sponsors have appeared in our sport, who know everything and already know how to do a lot. But even if it is far from being a real competitor for the Olympic Games, we must work on it, and all year round.
And do you know who is best suited to play the role of organizer? Those people who turn unknown bloggers and singers into celebrities in just a year or two. That’s who we should learn from.
…I am not against the Olympics, provided that the obvious discrimination against us, Russian athletes, stops. There is no need to try to break without building a new one. But I am convinced that it is urgent to build this new one. And for some, stop sighing, thinking about the time of their youth, when there really was no alternative.
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Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
