Page 135 - Olympism in Socialism

culture to every nook and corner of the country.
The network of sports facilities is expanding with
every passing year.
The universal and steadily growing
enthusiasm for sports is a distinctive feature of
the Soviet way of life, and it is encouraged by the
state in every possible way. Furthermore, the
development of sports, physical culture, and
camping and tourism has been enshrined in the
Constitution. As Article 41 of the Constitution of
the USSR says, the right of Soviet citizens to rest
and leisure is ensured, in particular, by the
development of these activities.
The all-round and harmonious development
of the individual is the principal objective of the
Soviet system of physical education. Sports help
people maintain physical fitness, help them in
their creative activity and promote longevity. The
building of man’s physique, apart from being a
biological and social concept, has an aesthetic
aspect as well. Boys and girls become trim,
stronger and more attractive. Higher living
standards alone do not ensure this. Participation
in sports is also necessary.
The Soviet people take part in physical
culture from their green years to old age.
Specialists in exercise therapy for infants work at
every children’s outpatient clinic, and gymnastics
and games are organised in kindergartens
according to an approved programme. At the
same time not infrequently even eighty-year-old
people participate in mass cross-country races.
This has become a common feature in the USSR.
Sports have become part and parcel of the
everyday life of the Soviet people. Everyday
thousands of factory workers. do “keep-fit”
exercises. Exercises before the beginning of the
lessons are compulsory for school children of all

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