Women's first participation in the Olympic Games. How women staged the February revolution

The role of women in the history of the February Revolution is often underestimated, but the revolutionary events began precisely on February 23, that is, March 8 according to the old style, on the Day of the Worker, which was first celebrated in Russia in 1913, but was celebrated irregularly.

Back on January 9, on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, women took to the streets of Petrograd - factory workers and soldiers' wives, tired of standing in lines for bread. A month later, workers went on strike, and on February 23, workers from the tram depot of Vasilievsky Island joined the demonstration, who a few days earlier had sent their representative to the 180th Infantry Regiment and found out from the soldiers that they were not planning to shoot.

International Women's Day was also celebrated with rallies by women who worked in textile factories on the Vyborg side, putting forward the slogan “War, high prices and the position of the female worker.”

When the call “To Nevsky!” was heard at one of the rallies, the crowd moved to the center. So women and children joined the general demonstration.

And as he later wrote in the book “The History of the Russian Revolution,” “they went to the cordons of soldiers bolder than men, grabbed their rifles, asked, almost ordered: “Drop your guns and join us.”

In February 1917, the women who took to the streets - those who worked in low-paid jobs, counted pennies to feed their children, stood in lines for hours for bread - did not put forward political slogans. It was war, hunger and despair rather than ideology that sent them out into the streets. However, at that time in Russia there was a powerful women's political movement that demanded rights and freedoms for women.

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The movement, however, is very diverse. By the time of the February events, there were about a dozen feminist organizations in the country. Since the first revolution of 1905-1906, the Russian Women's Mutual Benevolent Society, the Union for Women's Equality, the Russian Society for the Improvement of Women's Lot, the Russian League for Women's Equality, the Women's Progressive Party, the Women's Defense Society and many other liberal democratic organizations have operated here.

If the dream of the leaders of some organizations was to create an All-Russian Women's Council, then it was founded too late.

On paper - in May, but in practice its first meeting was held only in December 1917: when power was already in the hands of the Bolsheviks, it could no longer do anything.

There was also a separate women’s movement of the Marxist persuasion, which sought, in the words of Alexandra Kollontai, “to replace the old world with a new world of social labor, fraternal solidarity and the joy of freedom,” but social democrats did not take part in the February events due to political persecution (Rabotnitsa magazine "was founded in 1914, but after several issues were published, work on it had to be stopped due to confiscations and arrests, and it began to appear again only in May 1917).

Since the 60s in Russia, women have consistently sought the opportunity to study and receive higher education, become doctors and teach.

Thanks to their efforts, women architects, engineers and agronomists appeared in Russia. At the beginning of the 20th century, they went further and began to demand for themselves equal freedoms with men - that they be equal in inheritance rights, allowed to participate in zemstvo and city self-government, and the issue of higher education, available at that time only to a select few, remained very relevant .

The main political demand of feminists was to grant women the right to vote. They already tried to achieve it in 1905, but the law passed on August 6, 1905 did not give it to them - in fact, it equated women with minors, the weak-minded and those on trial.

Soon after the adoption of the declaration convening the Constituent Assembly and the formation of the Provisional Government, the Women's Equality League began to fight for women to be given the right to participate in the upcoming elections.

A demonstration of women who wanted to have the opportunity to vote and be elected took place in Petrograd on March 20. About 40 thousand women took part in it, and this time they were not only factory workers, but also students of the Bestuzhev courses, doctors, teachers - in general, representatives of the intelligentsia, who carried the corresponding slogans: “A woman’s place is in the Constituent Assembly,” "War to the bitter end."

However, upon reaching the Tauride Palace, the women discovered that they were not so united: the Bolsheviks who participated in the demonstration were categorically against the continuation of the war.

After a small skirmish, the leaders of the Women's Equality League received vague promises from the representative of the Provisional Government - and that was the end of it.

Subsequently, the contradictions between the democratic feminist movement and the social democratic one deepened: the former were ready to wage war to a victorious end and formed women’s battalions, the latter, in accordance with the program of the Bolsheviks, who succeeded in propaganda, demanded peace.

In October, representatives of these two directions of the women's movement found themselves on opposite sides of the barricades. And yet, women achieved political equality: on July 20, the government ratified the decision to grant voting rights to all women over 21 years of age. Thus, Russia became the first major power in the world where women began to vote on an equal basis with men.

In the West, where suffragists demanded universal suffrage, it took women much longer to achieve this. In Great Britain in 1918, the right to vote was not granted to all women, but only to ladies over 30 who were the head of the family or married to the head of the family, or who had graduated from university. It was only in 1928 that this right became universal.

But the birthplace of the feminist movement, that is, suffragism, was Great Britain.

The word “suffragette” as an independent term appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. During the Industrial Revolution, women in Great Britain for the first time began to openly resent discrimination against their sex in the social and, above all, political spheres.

Suffragists wanted the right to vote, the opportunity to participate in parliamentary sessions and do the same things as men - because they worked an equal number of hours a day.

They needed to take an active part in the life of their country. It was this priority of revolutionary-minded Englishwomen that gave the name to the whole movement, which subsequently grew in other countries and continents (from the English. suffrage- “voice, right to vote”).

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After the authorities decisively rejected this unprecedented proposal, the suffragists created confusion in 1911, when the census was instituted. The procedure required leaving your personal information on the form provided, but as a result, sympathizers of the movement either damaged the forms with protest slogans or went on a picnic all night.

Thus, the British government still does not have accurate census data. According to researchers, the “picnic” that night brought together several thousand women. The slogan of this event was the phrase “If women don"t count, neither shall they be counted” (“If women are not taken into account, then they do not need to be counted”).

Not all protests have been so peaceful.

Women suffragettes, who were members of organized groups, smashed almost all the shop windows and government offices on the streets of London and New York with hammers or bottles and stones hidden in paper.

They took their cue from their leader Emeline Pankhurst. Mrs. Pankhurst once managed to throw a stone at the window of the government building at the moment when she was grabbed by a policeman who arrived in time. Nevertheless, we should not forget that the image of the militarized suffragette today is too widespread and stereotypical.

In Asian countries, women did not resort to violence and did not beat unarmed police officers with umbrellas, which their Western sisters did not disdain. Indian public figure Bhikaji Kama was involved in charity work and the struggle for a free India in her homeland, but due to illness she moved to Europe.

Throughout her subsequent life, she took an active part in the British and French campaigns against discrimination against women, and through her example gave rise to revolutionary thought in India. One of the prominent figures of the Asian suffragette movement in London was Sophia Alexandra, a Sikh princess by birth and goddaughter of Queen Victoria.

Early feminists placed great emphasis on sonorous slogans, because competent marketing is the best friend of any revolution.

Thus, a poster promoting the militancy of women gained popularity. He depicted the British Minister of Defense of the time, Richard Halden, against the backdrop of a line of picketing women. The caption read: “Ah! If only I could find men who could also go forward!”

Having taken to the streets, women began to take much more care of themselves - the image of a suffragette had to correspond to that of a strong and independent mistress, and not a hostage to the kitchen and machine, which she had been before. Her image seemed designed to contradict the words she speaks: banners were held by hands dressed in elegant lace gloves, and it was customary to stand for her principles with her chest, adorned with the best brooches of its owner.

The ribbon, a colorful sling lying on the seemingly fragile female shoulders, also deserves special attention. This tricolor consisted of purple - the color of fidelity, “pure” white and green, symbolizing hope for a bright future.

The feminine appearance of the first feminists played into the hands of their popularity not only among middle-class women, but also society ladies. Feminism was recognized as a new fashion trend, because militant and at the same time sophisticated troublemakers could not help but attract the attention of photographers and reporters.

Pan-Hellenic sports competitions were held once every four years in the Peloponnese (southern part of Greece) near the Temple of Olympic Zeus, which is why they became known as the Olympic Games. In ancient times, games were part of a complex religious ritual to which only men were allowed. We find the first mention of games in Homer: Achilles, after the death of his friend Patroclus, organized a magnificent funeral feast, accompanied by games among the participants of the Trojan campaign.

Victory at the Olympics was valued no less, and perhaps even higher, than military exploits. Holders of the treasured laurel wreaths were equated with gods; Monuments were erected to them along with the gods, they were supported until the end of their days at the expense of the community, they were given truly unearthly honors. They were believed to be marked by the gods. It must be said that for the Hellenes it was important only to take first place, that is, to be the best. They didn’t have second and third places like today.

The games were a purely male affair - women were not only prohibited from participating in the competition, but even their presence as spectators was punishable by death. It would seem that a woman could sneak into the number of participants by wearing a man's suit. However, this was impossible, because the participants in the games did not have any “tracksuit” other than “bronze skin” - they performed naked (by the way, the word “gymnastics” itself comes from “gymnos” - naked).

The judges - they were called "Hellanodics" - were the most respected and authoritative citizens of different policies, which completely excluded any corruption.

And, despite the taboo, we still know one Olympic champion: the inscription and the monument erected in her honor in Olympia were observed back in the 2nd century. AD famous Greek historian Pausanias.

How did she do this?

The lot of most Greek women was home, caring for the family, etc. Only in Sparta did women enjoy greater freedom. There is a known case when an Athenian reproached a Spartan for the lack of democracy in their state, to which the latter replied: “First establish democracy in your family.” The freer position of Spartan women compared to women of other Greek states is also evidenced by the fact that in Sparta there was a whole layer of citizens who were called “parthenians.” It is believed that these were children born to Spartan women as maidens (that is, before marriage), which was not condemned by society.

The woman who managed to win the competition among men was a Spartan from a noble royal family. Her name was Kiniska and she was the sister of the Spartan king Agesilaus, under whom Sparta (late 5th - early 4th centuries BC) reached the peak of its power and influence in the Mediterranean.

Kiniska was breeding horses. This hobby was supported by her famous brother, although he did not take it very seriously. However, the four horses entered by Kiniska at the Olympic Games finished first. And since the owner of the team was considered the winner, Kiniska was entitled to a laurel wreath and all the honors associated with victory.

Thus, Kiniska became an “Olympian” - this is how Olympic champions were called, and we do not know whether there was a female version of this word.

The barely legible inscription, which Pausanias, more than five centuries after this event, was able to write down in his “guidebook” to Hellas, preserving it for us, has the following content:

My fathers and brothers were Spartan kings,
I won a victory with a team of fleet horses
And I, Kiniska, erected this monument.
I say I'm the only woman in Greece
The winner of this wreath.

Some historians, however, reproach Kiniska for not mentioning in her laudatory inscription even the name of the driver, who, in fact, achieved victory for the owner of the Olympic team. But Kiniska, apparently, considered that “this is not the king’s business.”

Candidate of Historical Sciences, archaeologist, ex-IHMC RAS
Nikolai Savvonidi

Department of Education of the Kogalym City Administration

School stage of the All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren

in physical education

2012-13 academic year

9,10,11 grade

Full name_________________________________________________________________KL___

Correctly completed tasks are scored 1 point.

The task completion time is 40 minutes.

1. Women began to take part in...

A. Games of the First Olympiad (1896 Athens, Greece).

b. Games of the II Olympiad (1900 Paris, France).

Games of the IV Olympiad (1908 London, UK).

2. The International Olympic Academy is located in…

A. Athens. b. Zurich.

V. Olympia. Paris.

3. The first summer Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR was held in...

A. 1948 b. 1952.

V. 1956 1960

4. The dynamics of individual human development are determined by...

A. influence of endogenous and exogenous factors.

b. human heredity.

V. influence of social and environmental factors.

d. human motor activity.

5. A set of exercises, techniques and methods aimed at teaching motor and other skills, as well as their further improvement, is designated as...

A. training. b. technique.

V. lesson system. d. pedagogical impact.

6. The state of relaxation, the release of tension, achieved spontaneously or under the influence of physiotherapeutic procedures is designated as

A. retardation. b. recreation.

V. reincarnation. d. relaxation.

7. Skeleton is a type of…

A. luge sport. b. speed skating.

V. skiing. all-around.

8. Jogging is a designation...

A. jogging.

b. type of “combat” aerobics.

V. youth union of the sports club.

d. varieties of non-traditional martial arts.

9. During prolonged high-intensity exercise, it is recommended to breathe

A. through the mouth and nose alternately. b. only through the mouth.

V. through the mouth and nose at the same time. g. only through the nose.

10. Basketball rules if the score is tied in regulation time provide for an additional period of ...

A. 3 minutes. b. 5 minutes. V. 7 minutes. 10 minutes.

11. The rules of volleyball provide that a team in each game has the right to a maximum of...

A. three substitutions. b. five substitutions.

V. six substitutions. d. the number of replacements is not limited.

12. For the normal functioning of the central nervous system, regulation of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, it is necessary...

A. vitamin A. b. vitamin B 1.

V. vitamin C. g. vitamin D.

13. Fatigue and drowsiness, headaches and dizziness are largely caused by a lack of vitamins, especially...

A. vitamin A. b. vitamin B 1.

V. vitamin C. g. vitamin D.

14. A type of activity that is a subject of competition and historically formed as a way of identifying and comparing human capabilities is usually called ...

A. gymnastics. b. health path.

V. competition. g. sport.

15. Isometric (statistical) exercises are mainly used to improve...

A. own strength abilities. b. speed abilities.

V. speed-strength abilities. g. general endurance.

16. The term "Olympics" means...

A. competitions at the Olympic Games.

b. a meeting of athletes in one city.

V. leap year.

d. four-year period between the Olympic Games.

17. In what year did the first Youth Olympic Games take place?

A. 2010. b. 2008

V. 2000 1998

18. Where did the first Youth Olympic Games take place?

A. Korean People's Democratic Republic.

b. Republic of Singapore.

c. People's Republic of China.

South African Republic

19. The main means of physical education is...

A. physical exercise.

b. hardening.

V. compliance with the daily routine.

d. hygiene factors.

20. The load of physical exercise is characterized by...

A. the magnitude of their impact on the body.

b. purpose of the lesson.

V. well-being of those involved.

d. time and number of repetitions of motor actions.

Open-ended questions

21. Part of the culture of society, focused on identifying and comparing human capabilities is designated as

22. The person charged with ensuring that a competition is conducted in accordance with the rules of the sport and having full authority to do so is competitions.

23. A person masters the values ​​of physical culture in the process

24. The ultimate goal of a chess game is

25. A completed cycle of movements repeated many times in running, walking, skating, skiing and other sports is designated as...

26. Maintaining the balance of the body by changing the position of its individual links is designated as

27. The state of a stable position of a body in space is denoted as

28. The intensity of physical exercise performed without a break for 5 to 30 minutes, according to physiological criteria, is classified as a zone work power.

29. In 2004 in Athens, Yuri Borzakovsky became the Olympic champion of the Games of the XVIII Olympiad in

    What did the modern Olympic Games borrow from the ancient Greek Olympic Games......

Olympiad in physical education grades 10-11.

1.The term “Olympiad” means:

a) competitions held during the Olympic Games;

b) the first year of the quadrennial, at the beginning of which the Olympic Games are held;

c) a period of four consecutive years, which begins with the Games of the Olympics and ends with the opening of the Games of the next Olympics;

d) year of the Olympic Games.

2.The final stage of preparing athletes for the Games in ancient Greece

was held in a special room called

A) gymnasium;

b) amphitheater;

c) stadium;

d) hippodrome

3.Where is the Olympic torch of the modern Olympic Games lit?

a) at the top of Mount Olympus;

b) at the Olympic Stadium in Athens;

c) at the Olympic stadium of the host city of the Games;

d) in Olympia under the auspices of the IOC.

4 .The 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in the city:

a) France;

b) Chicago

c) Rio de Janeiro;

d) Madrid.

5. At the first known Olympic Games, held in 776 BC. e., athletes competed in running at a distance equal to:

a) one stage;

b) 200 m;
c) during those Games, athletes competed in wrestling and throwing, and not in running.

D) 400 m

6. The amount of load during continuous exercise is determined by :

a) a combination of volume and intensity of motor actions;

b) the degree of difficulties overcome in their implementation;

c) fatigue resulting from their implementation;

d) heart rate.

7.Maintaining a daily routine improves your health because

a) allows you to avoid unnecessary physical stress;

b) ensures the rhythm of the body’s work;

c) allows you to properly plan things during the day;

d) the amount of load on the central nervous system changes.

8. The main indicators of human physical development are:

a) anthropometric characteristics of a person

b) standing long jump results

c) results in shuttle running

d) level of development of general endurance

9. Which of the following events is not included in the modern pentathlon program:

a) shooting

b) fencing

c) gymnastics

d) horse riding

10. In what year were the first World Youth Games held:

a) 1976 b) 1998 c) 1980 d) 1990

11.Physical education is aimed at improving:

a) moral and volitional qualities of people

b) the state of human health

c) natural physical properties of a person

d) techniques of motor actions

12.What is called posture:

a) quality of the spine that ensures good health

b) spring characteristics of the spine and feet

c) the usual posture of a person in an upright position

G) anthropometric characteristics of a person

13. The structure of movement training is determined by...

a) the relationship between teaching and upbringing methods.

b) individual characteristics of the student.

c) biomechanical characteristics of the movement being learned.

d) patterns of formation of motor skills.

14. Continuity of physical education is due...

a) a variety of forms of classes.

b) a combination of preparatory and developmental activities.

c) features of the construction of lesson forms of classes.

d) the interaction of the effects of classes.

15. Which of the following statements is formulated incorrectly?

a) Sport is a competitive activity.

b) Sport is an integral part of physical culture.

c) Sport is a competitive activity and preparation for it.

d) Sports – adherence to certain rules of behavior.

16. The process of performing physical exercises in order to improve the quality of

jealous activity is usually called...

a) training.

b) preparation.

c) hyperdynamia.

d) stimulation.

17. The basis of the methodology for developing physical qualities is...

a) performing physical exercises.

b) age adequacy of the load.

c) learning motor actions.

d) gradual increase in the force of impact.

18. The relationship between the volume and intensity of exercise is characterized by...

a) an increase in the body’s responses.

b) indicators of the quantity and quality of physical activity.

c) inversely proportional dependence.

d) directly proportional dependence.

19 . Among all the Olympians in the world in all sports, the largest number of Olympic medals...

a) Paavo Nurmi (Finland);

b) Mark Spitz (USA);

c) Larisa Latynina (USSR);

d) Svetlana Khorkina (Russia);

e) Michael Phelps (USA).

20. Theoretical material of the academic subject “Physical Education” in a comprehensive school includes...

a) fundamental knowledge of a general theoretical nature;

b) instructional and methodological knowledge;

c) knowledge about the rules for performing motor actions;

d) all of the above.

21. How is the effect of physical activity on the body monitored during physical exercise?

a) by breathing frequency;

b) by frequency of cardiovascular exercises;

c) by the volume of work performed.

d) external signs

22. What is called warm-up?

a) preparing the body for the upcoming work.

b) alternating running and general developmental exercises;

c) alternating easy and difficult general developmental exercises

d) starting readiness

23. What exercises are included in the warm-up in almost all sports?

a) exercises to develop endurance;

b) running and general developmental exercises

c) exercises to develop flexibility and coordination of movements

d) speed exercises

24. Which sport most effectively develops flexibility and agility?

a) fencing;

b) basketball;

c) figure skating;

d) rhythmic gymnastics.

25. What sports primarily develop endurance?

a) martial arts;

b) cyclic;

c) sports games;

d) not cyclical.

Key to the task:

1-c 2-a 3-d 4-c 5-a 6-a 7-b 8-a 9-c 10-b 11-c 12-c 13-d 14-d 15-c 16-d 17- g 18-v

19-c 20-d 21-b 22-a 23-b 24-a 25-b


Following the traditions of Olympic sports Ancient Greece, P. de Coubertin strongly opposed women's participation in Olympic competitions. “The Olympic Games,” he wrote, “are a triumph of male strength, sporting harmony, a principle based on the principles of internationalism, loyalty, perceived by the audience as art and rewarded with approving applause from women.” IN Games of the 1st Olympiad (1896) women did not participate.

Coubertin's opinion contradicted the opinion of a number of IOC members who supported women's participation in the Olympic Games. As a result, through joint efforts, a decision was made: women can compete in certain types of the Olympic program that correspond to the social status of the fairer sex and their physiological characteristics.

Despite artificially created obstacles, women managed to take part in II Olympic Games, which took place in 1900 in Paris. The athletes competed in two sports - tennis and golf. An English tennis player became the first Olympic champion S. Cooper. However, in these Games, as in the two subsequent ones ( 1904 And 1908), the participation of women was purely symbolic: their number was from 7 to 11, which amounted to 0.8 - 1.3% of the total number of participants in the Games.

On Olympic Games 1912 And 1920s. the number of women participating in the competition increased significantly (to 57 and 64, respectively), but of the total number of participants in the Games this amounted to only 2.2% and 2.5%, respectively.

22nd IOC Session, accomplished in Paris in 1924, gave a new impetus to the Olympic movement: from now on, women were officially allowed to participate in most types of the Olympic Games program.

As a result International sports federations began to pay more attention to women who want to seriously engage in sports. But for period from 1924 to 1936, although the number of types of competitions in the Games program was constantly increasing - from 10 in 1924 to 15 in 1936, The women's Olympic program has undergone virtually no significant changes during this time. Women were allowed to compete in only four sports - swimming, fencing, athletics and gymnastics (tennis and archery were excluded). Therefore, it is quite natural that women made up a very small part of the participants - 4.4 - 12.1%.

A similar situation was observed in winter sports. Number of women out of total participants Winter Olympics 1924–1936 fluctuated between 4.4 - 10.5%. On I , II and III Winter Olympic Games Of the 13 - 14 types of competitions, women took part in only one (singles in figure skating). Just on IV Winter Olympic Games in 1936 A second type was introduced into the competition program for women - alpine skiing combined (downhill and slalom), and the total number of participants was 17.

Largely due to this, 34th IOC Session, held in 1935 in Oslo, International Women's Sports Federation put forward a proposal to create special Olympic Games only for women. A similar proposal was made by International Amateur Athletics Federation, which demanded the exclusion of women from the number of participants in the Olympic Games - with the subsequent establishment of athletics competitions only for females. However, IOC members rejected these proposals by a majority vote.

After the end of the Second World War, the number of women taking part in the Olympic Games increased. The number of sports has also increased. Eg, Games of the XV Olympiad in Helsinki (1952) included women's competitions in 24 types of competitions in six sports (gymnastics, athletics, swimming, kayaking and canoeing, diving, fencing), which amounted to 17.1% of the Olympic program.

Over the past 40 years, each Olympic cycle has been characterized by increased participation of women in Olympic sports: the number of sports and competitions has increased, and the number of participants in the Winter and Summer Olympic Games has increased. There are more women in the IOC, National Olympic Committees and International Sports Federations. This trend continues to this day. For example, on Games of the XXV Olympiad in Barcelona New sports were added in which women competed - judo, sailing, water slalom, and new types of competitions appeared in athletics, kayaking and canoeing, which expanded the part of the Olympic program for women by a total of 14 types of competitions.

Softball and women's soccer are on the cusp of Olympic recognition. Particularly pressing is the issue of including women's softball in the Olympic Games program (as was done with men's baseball). There are constantly heated discussions around proposals to include in the Olympic program competitions among women in other sports and competitions - weightlifting, water polo, athletics decathlon, etc. However, even today, competitions in approximately one third of Olympic sports are held only among men, and Around certain purely women's sports (synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics), there are constant discussions about the advisability of their presence in the Olympic program.

The problem of increasing women's participation in Olympic sports is quite multifaceted. Here, first of all, it should be noted the conservatism of many International Sports Federations, although they recognize women's competitions, but treat them as a secondary matter that does not deserve to be represented in the program of the Olympic Games.

No less significant is the fact that the trend of expanding part of the program of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games for women is in direct contradiction with another trend - a reduction in the total number of participants in Olympic competitions, which, according to the organizers of the Olympic Games, many leaders of the Olympic movement and international sports, has exceeded the permissible limits.

The development of women's Olympic sports is undoubtedly hampered by the insufficient participation of women in its administrative bodies. Thus, out of 95 IOC members, only 7 are women (7.4%); only 5 women (2.6%) are presidents of National Olympic Committees; only one International Sports Federation is headed by a woman.

The development of women's Olympic sports was also hampered by prevailing stereotypes in the media. Recent studies in the United States on this issue revealed a peculiar picture: 92% of television time allocated for broadcasting sports news was devoted exclusively to men's sports; only 5% was devoted to sports competitions with the participation of women, 3% were conversations of commentators on abstract topics; The ratio of articles about men's to women's sports in popular newspapers and magazines is 23:1, and commentators use three times as many colorful comparisons when describing matches and competitions involving men as when describing competitions in the same sports involving women. It has also been noted that many television commentators patronizingly call outstanding female athletes “girls,” while at the same time not allowing themselves to call famous male athletes “boys.” One of the prominent members of the IOC Anita de Franz was indignant about this: “How can you call a girl Martina Navratilova, Debi Thomas or Katharina Witt. Unfortunately, disdain for women as beings not worthy of special respect is not considered a great sin in the sports world, but it must be fought.” It is interesting that after this speech A. de Franz The country's largest television companies requested at least 100 copies of the report in order to bring it to the attention of all television service employees.

The intensive development of women's sports is the reality of our time. The popularity of various sports, their spread throughout the world, and the funds allocated for their development are directly dependent on the presence of these sports in the Olympic program. Therefore, the urgency with which the question of the place of women’s sports in the modern international Olympic movement is raised is quite natural.

Olympic and mass sports

Over the course of many decades, the idea has emerged that mass sports and elite sports are a single sphere of human activity. This was largely facilitated by the views of P. de Coubertin. “If 100 people are training, 50 of them should be exercising. Of these 50-20 must specialize in one of the sports. Of these 20-5 should reach the peak of sports form,” noted the French educator. It is this statement of his that many researchers cite as evidence of the connection between mass and big sports.

IN 1919 P. de Coubertin put forward the motto “We must achieve mass participation” as one of the activities of the International Olympic Committee. However, this motto did not receive support, since many IOC members did not see the relationship between Olympic and mass sports and did not share Coubertin’s approach to this issue.

Moving away in 1925 from the leadership of the International Olympic Committee, Coubertin in 1926 founded International Bureau of Sports Education, which proposed a number of sporting reforms, including a distinction between physical activity, sports education and sports competition, and the spread of physical fitness tests - following the example of Sweden and Germany. However, these ideas of Coubertin turned out to be ineffective and did not receive widespread support from the sports community in different countries.

Right up until the 60s in the vast majority of countries in the world, Olympic sports and "sport for everyone" developed separately. However, the successes of athletes of the USSR and other countries of the former socialist camp Olympic Games 1952, 1956 and 1960 once again forced to talk about the connection between mass participation and the skill of athletes.

The concept of the unity of mass and Olympic sports, which has received recognition and practical implementation in the 30-50s in the USSR and proven performance in major international sporting competitions 50s, found followers in other former socialist states. First of all, the development of mass, children's sports, family sports as the basis of Olympic sports has become the most important, state-supported direction for the development of sports in the GDR. A similar situation arose in Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Cuba. The trend of interconnection between mass and Olympic sports was also evident in other countries. This was facilitated by regular, starting since 1960, television broadcasts of the Olympic Games, which, as researchers and commentators have repeatedly noted, gave impetus to the faster development of the mass sports movement.

The inclusion of new sports in the program of the Olympic Games also served to increase their popularity among the population. For example, widespread in second half of the 60s received mass sport in Germany - in connection with the upcoming XX Olympic Games in Munich (1972) By the way, it was during these years (1966) and the term appeared "sport for everyone."

Analyzing the connection between Olympic and mass sports, two aspects should be highlighted. First aspect - The influence of the Olympic Games on the intensification of the mass development of Olympic sports undoubtedly takes place. Second aspect - the dependence of the level of skill of athletes and Olympic success in a particular sport on its mass popularity should not be exaggerated, because here, starting since the 70s, The principle of the transition from quantity to quality is no longer valid. Just realizing this makes it necessary to consider the issue of creating specialized organizational structures for managing mass and Olympic sports in various countries on a national scale. Therefore, for many leaders of international and national sports, the actions of IOC President X. A. Samaranch, aimed at inclusion in the early 80s "sports for all" within the scope of activities of the International Olympic Committee.

IN 1983 a group was created within the IOC, chaired by A. Gimla, President of the NOC and Minister of Sports of Czechoslovakia– a country with long traditions in the field of mass sports. This group developed the structure, program of activities and defined the functions of the IOC Commission on "sport for everyone."

IN 1985 The IOC Commission on "sport for everyone." IN 1986 in Frankfurt am Main was held under the auspices of the IOC 1st Congress “Sport for All”- under the motto “Everyone has the right to play sports.”

IN 1986 The IOC commission on “sport for all” responded to such events as the peasant basketball tournament in China (1000 teams), the 10,000 m mass running competition in Denmark, the ski race in Sweden (18 thousand participants), and the Olympic Youth Day in Holland (16 thousand participants), pentathlon competitions in Hungary (820 thousand participants), schoolchildren competitions in Germany (100 thousand participants). Through this commission, the IOC provided the National Olympic Committees with the necessary information and advice.

IN 1987 The IOC has decided to hold annual June 23 Olympic Day is World Running Day.

IN May 1988 in Czechoslovakia took place II Congress “Sport for All”. The main issues discussed at it were the development strategy of the “Sport for All” movement, its infrastructure, programs of different countries, and the role of the media. Speaking at this congress, IOC President X. A. Samaranch noted that the “Sport for All” movement has firmly strengthened its position in the world and the International Olympic Committee plays a significant role in this.

However, not everyone shared the opinion of Kh. A. Samaranch about the need to extend the activities of the IOC to “sport for all.” Thus, one of the sports leaders of Germany, Willy Weier, believed that the “Sport for All” movement and the Olympic movement have different roots, principles and content. If the Olympic movement is built on the principles of international sport, then the “Sport for All” movement is developing in each country, taking into account national characteristics, traditions and culture.

Today, the “Sports for All” movement is increasingly associated with the tasks of healthcare and prolongation of active longevity, prevention and even treatment of various diseases. Many laboratories around the world have convincingly shown the high role of physical activity in the fight against cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric diseases, metabolic diseases and even cancer. This closely connects “sport for all” with the tasks of medicine, practical healthcare, planning people’s lifestyles, and the interests of various fields of activity in the rational use of labor resources.

Therefore, it is quite natural that the organizational structure of the IOC and National Olympic Committees, the tasks they solve, and the development trends of Olympic sports do not meet the needs of mass sports.

Undoubtedly, at a certain stage the International Olympic Committee played a positive role in the development of the “Sport for All” movement, however, today there is a need for such an organization (with its scientific and technical base and specialists) capable of resolving the complex, primarily social, problems that it faces. movement, take on management and coordination functions, tasks of leadership, financing and providing practical assistance to countries and organizations in need, and which will be able to implement, not in words, but in deeds The main principle of “sport for all” is the availability of sports and physical exercise for all social classes and groups of the population, regardless of their racial and ethnic background, their place in the production system and in society as a whole.

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