ABSTRACT
Sport in the USSR was always very important as its sporting achievements boosted national prestige. Sports facilities were free and those with talent could take up any kind of sport regardless of its cost, if it was approved by the state. Things have changed since then. Russia now follows international trends and has adopted a commercial approach. On the one hand, as in most Western countries, people take up sport to improve their health and appearance, and the number of sports clubs and fitness centres is growing fast. They are quite expensive and not everybody can afford to join them. On the other hand, new extreme and dangerous sports are becoming popular, especially among the young, who seem to like living on the edge and experiencing the surge of adrenaline.
