04-01-2004, 04:24 PM
William,
That's very true,
there has always been strong links between Soviet athletes and the Military. That is understandable TsSKA and Dinamo used their privileges to recruit the athletes, not least through Military conscription.
There is a slightly darker side of the story though and that is that performance enhancing Drugs were tested on Soviet Soldiers during WWII.
The studies on Adaptogens for example began during the War, when Soviet scientist, Dr. Lazarev, studied the effects of different stimulants, including powerful synthetic drugs and a handful of natural remedies.The brutal battles with Germany on the Russian front required incredible stamina, under stress.
Members of the club have included 850 European champions, 625 world champions and 182 Olympic champions. They have set up 341 European and 430 world records. (All figures as of 1 January, 1979.)
Any athlete who joins the ZSKA is given the rank of sergeant, sergeant-major, warrant officer or officer, depending on what level he is at. The better his results as an athlete the higher the rank. Once he has a military rank an athlete is able to devote as much time to sport as he wishes and at the same time be regarded as an amateur, because professionally he is a soldier. Any Soviet 'amateur' athlete who performs slightly better than the average receives extra pay in various forms — 'for additional nourishment', 'for sports clothing', 'for travelling', and so forth. The 'amateur' receives for indulging in his sport much more than a doctor or a skilled engineer, so long as he achieves European standards. But the Soviet Army also pays him, and not badly, for his military rank and service.
The ZSKA is very attractive for an athlete in that, when he can no longer engage in his sport at international level, he can still retain his military rank and pay.
In most other clubs he would be finished altogether. What has this policy produced? At the 14th winter Olympic Games, Soviet military athletes won seventeen gold medals.
If one counts also the number of silver and bronze winners, the number of athletes with military rank is greatly increased. And if one were to draw up a similar list of military athletes at the summer Games it would take up many pages. Is there a single army in the world that comes near the Soviet Army in this achievement?
Eddie.
That's very true,
there has always been strong links between Soviet athletes and the Military. That is understandable TsSKA and Dinamo used their privileges to recruit the athletes, not least through Military conscription.
There is a slightly darker side of the story though and that is that performance enhancing Drugs were tested on Soviet Soldiers during WWII.
The studies on Adaptogens for example began during the War, when Soviet scientist, Dr. Lazarev, studied the effects of different stimulants, including powerful synthetic drugs and a handful of natural remedies.The brutal battles with Germany on the Russian front required incredible stamina, under stress.
Members of the club have included 850 European champions, 625 world champions and 182 Olympic champions. They have set up 341 European and 430 world records. (All figures as of 1 January, 1979.)
Any athlete who joins the ZSKA is given the rank of sergeant, sergeant-major, warrant officer or officer, depending on what level he is at. The better his results as an athlete the higher the rank. Once he has a military rank an athlete is able to devote as much time to sport as he wishes and at the same time be regarded as an amateur, because professionally he is a soldier. Any Soviet 'amateur' athlete who performs slightly better than the average receives extra pay in various forms — 'for additional nourishment', 'for sports clothing', 'for travelling', and so forth. The 'amateur' receives for indulging in his sport much more than a doctor or a skilled engineer, so long as he achieves European standards. But the Soviet Army also pays him, and not badly, for his military rank and service.
The ZSKA is very attractive for an athlete in that, when he can no longer engage in his sport at international level, he can still retain his military rank and pay.
In most other clubs he would be finished altogether. What has this policy produced? At the 14th winter Olympic Games, Soviet military athletes won seventeen gold medals.
If one counts also the number of silver and bronze winners, the number of athletes with military rank is greatly increased. And if one were to draw up a similar list of military athletes at the summer Games it would take up many pages. Is there a single army in the world that comes near the Soviet Army in this achievement?
Eddie.
Everybody's equal, But some more than others!
"Those who come to us with the sword - will be killed by the sword" - Alexander Nevski
"Those who come to us with the sword - will be killed by the sword" - Alexander Nevski
