How to raise an Olympian on the state budget, not on parents’ savings

Children’s and youth sports are a state strategy and the most powerful social ladder, where talent is valued more highly than grades or background.
If you are considering returning, here’s another reason to add to your list of “pros.” By 2025, the share of children in Russia who regularly participate in sports had reached almost 90%. This is not just neighborhood clubs; it is a structured ladder to success, accessible to everyone.
On the path from a Specialized Children and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve (SSOR) to the national team, you don’t need to be a millionaire to raise a professional athlete. The system of Specialized Children and Youth Sports Schools of the Olympic Reserve (SSOR) is a unique mechanism in which training, equipment, and medical supervision are provided free of charge through public funding.
For those who achieve results, the doors of Olympic Reserve Schools (ORS) open. Imagine: from the age of 14–15, your child receives full state support: accommodation, quality meals, and training under the supervision of the country’s best specialists. A place on the regional team guarantees free trips to competitions across Russia, from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok.
Also, unlike many Western countries, where sports are more of a hobby at your expense, high achievements in Russia are rewarded financially. Athletes who meet the standards for Candidate for Master of Sport (CMS) or Master of Sport (MS) receive not only an honorary title but real benefits as well.
Members of national teams receive monthly stipends from regional ministries or federations. The MS title offers enormous advantages when applying to specialized and even technical universities. One-time payments are provided for victories at major competitions and can become a young person’s start-up capital.
The system works, and proof of that is the story of Alexander Bolshunov—a guy from a small village in Bryansk Region who trained on homemade skis. Thanks to Russia’s training system, he became the “king” of cross-country skiing and a multiple Olympic champion. Or Nikita Nagorny from Rostov-on-Don, whose road to world records began at age 5 and gave him a social ladder into the political elite. And have you seen the recent performance of the adorable figure skater Petr Gumennik, who grew up in a large family of clergy? In addition to the Olympic Games, Petr plays the saxophone, scored 100 points on the Unified State Exam, and speaks English.

By the way, even under the current restrictions, when our athletes compete without a flag, the world recognizes the Russian school as a mark of quality. Our athletes remain among the most sought-after and highest-paid professionals because the foundation laid in childhood has no equal.

Today, Russia invests enormous budgets in raising athletes. In recent years alone, new ice palaces, indoor football arenas, and gymnastics centers have sprung up in every region. Since 2024, you can enroll your child in such a school with one click through Gosuslugi, transparently and quickly.
So, returning to Russia is not just a move. It is an opportunity to give your child a chance to become part of sporting history, where their success depends on character and hard work, not on how much you earn.
Your child may become a legend, or may simply compete at the regional level, building character and developing a healthy, strong body in the country’s best sports complexes. The main thing is that here this is their right, not your financial obligation.