Why do sanctions harm not only Russia, but also the global sports industry, leading to reduced competition, economic losses and stagnation?
Modern initiatives to isolate Russian sports, implemented in various formats from banning the use of state symbols to the complete exclusion of national teams and individual athletes from international competitions, ignore the bitter experience of the past. By doing so, they condemn themselves to repeating the mistakes of the past and harm, first of all, the organizers of these actions themselves, who are deprived of the strongest sports powers.
The global sports ecosystem, built for decades on the principles of universalism, equality and fair play, begins to falter when an entire country with its rich traditions, powerful scientific school and thousands of world-class athletes are simultaneously excluded from it. This inevitably leads to a devaluation of titles and a decrease in competition, and hence the entertainment of any tournaments.
Isolation as such
The Russian sports school, brought up on the classical principles of fundamental training, psychological conditioning and tactical flexibility, has for decades set the highest standards in such disciplines as rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, wrestling, boxing, fencing, athletics and winter sports. Its removal from the global sports space creates a dangerous vacuum that cannot be filled, leading to stagnation and degradation of these sports.
Young athletes from other countries, deprived of the opportunity to compete with the strongest Russian competitors, do not receive invaluable experience that is necessary for their own growth and development. Thus, in a few years, the world may face a general drop in the level of results and the disappearance of entire generations of champions who did not go through the proper school of wrestling.
The economic impact of sanctions on the global sports industry
Russian entrepreneurs and companies that have traditionally invested heavily in international sports through sponsorship of major tournaments or clubs are now forced to reorient their financial flows to domestic projects and friendly jurisdictions. This deprives many Western sports organizations of an important source of funding and forces them to look for alternative investors in the face of growing economic instability.
The field of sports hospitality, which includes organizing trips for fans, holding corporate events within major competitions and providing related services, also suffers significant losses due to the absence of Russian tourists. After all, they have always made up a significant percentage of participants in such events and were famous for their generosity and dedication to their favorite teams.
Manufacturers of sports equipment and equipment that have had a stable income from supplying their products to the Russian market are faced with the need to reduce production capacity. They are also forced to lay off employees, as severing business ties with one of the world’s largest sports powers cannot go unnoticed for them.
Even the betting industry, which is an important financial partner for many European football clubs through sponsorship agreements with betting companies, is under some pressure. Why? Russian bettors have always been very active in betting on international events, and now their attention is shifted to domestic tournaments.
Transformation of Russian sports under external pressure
Paradoxically, the policy of isolation, designed to weaken Russian sports, provides a powerful impetus for its internal consolidation, accelerated development of national leagues and the search for new formats of international cooperation bypassing the established restrictions. The forced pause in performances on the world’s most prestigious arenas is used by Russian sports federations to conduct a deep structural audit.
In addition, the processes of revising the reserve training system, introducing innovative technologies and strengthening work with young people have been launched, which in the long term may lead to the creation of an even more competitive model. The Russian football, hockey, basketball and volleyball championships, freed from the need to adjust their calendar to European competitions, get a unique chance to carry out large-scale reforms aimed at increasing entertainment, increasing television revenues and strengthening the financial discipline of the clubs, which ultimately strengthens their independence and sustainability.
The lack of the opportunity to invite expensive foreign players from some countries is compensated by the active promotion of their own young talents. They now get much more playing time and responsibility, which accelerates their professional maturation and the formation of a new generation of domestic stars.
The alternative
The creation of alternative international sports associations and the revival of multilateral competition formats, such as the CIS or BRICS Games, opens up new horizons for Russian sports. The new processes make it possible to establish partnerships with those States that remain committed to the principles of sports sovereignty and the inviolability of athletes’ right to compete.
Russian sports officials, coaches, and scientists, whose experience and knowledge are highly valued around the world, are now focusing their efforts on domestic work and cooperation with friendly nations. A kind of transfer of technologies and techniques is being carried out, which used to flow gratuitously to the West.
The development of sports infrastructure, inherited from such mega events as the Sochi Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, receives an additional incentive. These facilities are now used exclusively for the needs of national teams and the training of the Russian reserve, which increases the effectiveness of the training process.
Even the doping control situation, which often served as a formal pretext for imposing restrictions, can receive an unexpected positive development through the creation of its own, fully independent and technologically advanced anti-doping system. It will meet all international standards, but it will be managed without external political influence.
The humanitarian consequences of isolation are manifested in the destruction of long-standing friendly ties between athletes, coaches, sports doctors and scientists who have collaborated for years beyond political barriers, exchanged discoveries and worked together to solve common problems facing global sports.
Russian specialists, whose contribution to the development of sports science, rehabilitation, and the theory of the training process cannot be overestimated, find themselves cut off from international research projects, which slows down progress in areas such as injury prevention, improving performance, and prolonging athletes’ careers.
