October 20, 2021

That's Not the Team Spirit


That's Not the Team Spirit

“Because of e-sports, we are losing future great athletes who could become Olympic champions. It is a pity, but it is their right to choose. If they see themselves in e-sports, no one can force them to do something else. In the end, e-sports are better than hype blogging. It at least falls under sports, albeit without physical activity. You can talk as much as you like, good or bad. Nothing will change anyway. We will not close the country and return to the USSR regime with strict restrictions. This way, everyone will just rant and rave for a little while and then will again put a gadget in the hands of a child. It is the truth of life.”

– State Duma Deputy and Olympic Champion Svetlana Zhurova

On October 17, Zhurova commented on the recent victory of the members of Team Spirit, a Russian group who took home $18.2 million USD (over 1.2 billion rubles) for winning first place in The International 10. The world champion e-sports tournament pits players against each other in Dota (Defense of the Ancients) 2, an online multiplayer video game where two teams of five must defend bases against the attacks of the opposing competitors.

“Of course, the guys really worked hard, strove,” Zhurova said. “They won and deservedly received their prize money. Well done. But I don't want it to become widespread, because the victory of Team Spirit will now be a super big advertisement for children. Now absolutely everyone will have this wish. The guys will begin to understand: ‘If I sit and do e-sports, I will achieve the same success and get a huge amount of money.’ And we will not stop this process.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin got wind of the victory, too, and seemed more pleased than Zhurova when he congratulated the team for taking the title, a first for the Russian Federation. “We have proven in practice that our cyber sportsmen are always goal-oriented and capable of conquering any heights. I wish you new successes and all the best.”

This is not, of course, the first time citizens of the Federation might have reason to be proud of a little sedentary sporting. A Russian invented Tetris, after all. (Check it out – it even comes installed in Russian vans!)

 

 

 

 

You Might Also Like

RuNet: A Cyberian Adventure
  • March 01, 2005

RuNet: A Cyberian Adventure

The Internet is becoming an important factor in Russian culture and the Russian economy. We trace its history and plot its future trajectory.
Bread and Circuses. And Tetris.
  • October 19, 2017

Bread and Circuses. And Tetris.

Arcade cars, patriotic circuses, and administrative festivities. Also, some crazy murals, Moscow's transformation, and the secrets of Peter the Great. 
A Pixelated Palace for Putin
  • February 09, 2021

A Pixelated Palace for Putin

Now you, too, can experience the glamor of Putin's Black Sea palace without the pricetag in the digital worlds of Minecraft.
Tetris: The Perfect Video Game?
  • May 17, 2020

Tetris: The Perfect Video Game?

A deep dive into the history and philosophy behind Tetris, and the reasons why it has managed to stay relevant for so long and will probably still be in the future.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955