Russian Communist society placed a heavy emphasis on physical conditioning and participation in sports. Every large city had its Palace of Sports, where citizens holding passes could use basketball courts, indoor tracks, and swimming pools. Soccer fields dotted the outskirts of towns large and small, and in most cities a stadium was available for the use of local teams.

Sports were a way of enforcing a collective spirit among citizens, and also of encouraging loyalty to party organizations. In many ways, sports teams imitated military units. In both organizations, leaders emphasized discipline and cooperation as the most important characteristics of the good performer. All Russian athletes saw themselves as part of a team first and as individuals second.

There were many state organizations for aspiring young athletes. The most important of them was the GTO, whose Russian initials stood for "Ready for...