This book examines the political role of athletes in the Soviet Union between the 1930s and the 1980s. A translation from the French edition, A Social History of Soviet Sporting Heroes analyses how the Soviet government created a sporting elite to promote Marxist-Leninist ideals and to project an image of superiority on the world stage, especially during the Cold War. Sylvain Dufraisse reveals how Soviet champions, treated as socialist ambassadors, were elevated to the status of national heroes. They embodied the ideal of the New Soviet Man and socialist values like discipline, resilience, and self-sacrifice. Dufraisse details the rigorous selection and training processes these athletes underwent, governed by strict oversight to maximize their performance. At the same time, he highlights the intense pressures faced by Soviet athletes, as their achievements were directly tied to the prestige of the Soviet regime. Through detailed accounts of these champions’ lives and using archives from various Soviet institutions (including the Central Committee, Communist Youth organisations, and the Committee of Physical Culture and Sports), the book offers a fascinating insight into the interplay between sports, ideology, and power in the USSR, illustrating how the regime strategically shaped sport to serve its political ambitions.
