Issue 4 (85)
| OLYMPIC WARS BETWEEN THE USSR AND THE USA: SPORT AS A POLITICAL ARGUMENT | |||
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| Year | 2024 | Number | 4 (85) |
| Pages | 175-184 | Type | scientific article |
| UDC | 94(47+73) | BBK | 63.3(2)6+63.3(7)6 |
| Authors | Speransky Andrei V. |
Topic | HISTORICAL MOSAIC |
| Summary | Using the example of the Olympic movement of the second half of the 20th century, the paper analyses the role of sport as a “soft power” instrument, used by world leaders to strengthen their positions in the international arena. It draws parallels with modern attempts by the “collective West”, led by the United States, along with numerous sanctions, to use sport as a mechanism of national discrimination and international isolation of Russia. It is demonstrated that the policy restricting participation in the Olympic Games has always been applied by dominant countries to defeated rivals and potential violators of the balance of power on the world stage. It is also noted that in some cases, a number of states have voluntarily boycotted the Olympics in order to protest racial discrimination, military aggression or disregard for their political interests. Special emphasis is made on the geopolitical confrontation between the USSR and the United States within the framework of bipolar world that emerged after World War II. The “Cold war” between them, which inevitably covered the sports sphere, led to the “battles of giants”, which unfolded most fiercely at the Summer Olympics. An objective analysis of the results achieved by athletes of these countries during the 1950s–1980s “Olympic wars” showed a significant advantage of the USSR sports system. Therefore, the paper concludes that in the conditions of modern bullying of Russian sports, victorious experience of the Soviet Union, based on professionalization of high-performance sports, mass physical culture movement and decisiveness in sports policy in the international arena, is more relevant and in demand than ever. | ||
| Keywords | USSR, USA, bipolar world, foreign policy, Cold War, soft power, sports, Olympic Games, boycott, competition | ||
| References |
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