Some facts and figures

Russia at the Olympics
1908-1996

Russia first took part in the Olympics in London (1908) and Stockholm (1912). With just five contestants in London, Russia won one gold (in figure-skating) and two silvers (in wrestling), finishing 14th. A much larger team of 169 in Stockholm, however, only placed15th.

The USSR made its Summer Olympic debut only in 1952 in Helsinki (and in the 1956 Winter games). In the past forty years, it has come first in all but two summer (1968 and 1984) and three winter (1968, 1980 and 1984) competitions.

Medal totals

In Seoul in 1988, Soviet athletes got 132 medals (55 gold, 31 silver, and 46 bronze), winning medals in all sports and beating their main competitors (the US) even in traditional American sports like basketball.

In 1992 the United Team (the former Soviet republics except Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Georgia) came first again with 112 medals (45, 38, 29). The Americans came second with 108 medals (37, 34, 37) and Germany third with 82 (33, 21, 28).

According to estimates by sports observers, in order to beat all other national Olympic teams, Russia will have to collect 37-38 gold medals in Atlanta. But, if Russian athletes perform successfully in track & field, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling , boxing and shooting, then Russia could come first even with just 33-35 golds.

Prize money

Russian Olympic champions this year will each receive $50,000, possibly more if they set world records, to be paid out only upon publication of drug tests, i.e. 48 hours after the tests are taken.

To compare, in 1976, Soviet Olympic champions in Montreal got just R3,000 (20 times a teacher’s salary), in 1980 in Moscow R12,000 (more than enough to buy a Volga car) and in 1992, $10,000.