The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power

Описание: I speak with Bruce Berglund, the author of The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power https://amzn.to/4aumSRE , which is a fascinating journey through the world of Soviet sports and its intricate ties to politics as a means of soft power and national pride.



We learn how the Soviets achieved strategic advantage through women's sports, the abuse of amateur status, the controversial topic of doping and how sports science revolutionised the performance of athletes.



Listeners will also hear about the iconic "Miracle on Ice" ice hockey game in 1980, where the U.S. amateur team defeated the seasoned Soviet professionals, and how this event was perceived on both sides of the Cold War divide.

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00:00 Introduction

02:31 Unpacking Russia's Consistent Strategies in International Sport

04:38 How the Soviets Used Sport for National Superiority

08:18 Manipulating Scores to Claim Victory in the 1952 Olympics

14:19 Soviet Dominance in Women's Gymnastics and Western Perceptions

23:13 How Soviets Paid Athletes While Maintaining Amateur Pretence3

28:20 IOC President Avery Brundage Praises Soviet 'Amateur' Sport

35:10 Soviet Reactions and Doping Accusations

40:17 From Nutritional Supplements to Anabolic Steroids in Sport

44:55 Soviet and East German Advances in Sports Science and Performance

49:26 IOC's Struggle with Doping and the 1980/1984 Olympic Boycotts

01:01:19 Vladimir Putin's Enduring Influence on Russian and Global Sport