ABSTRACT
In 1989, the incorporation of star Soviet athletes into the fabric of American professional sports became a reality. The triggering force was Soviet Gorbachev's program of economic restructuring, which required that sports federations in the U.S.S.R. pay more of their own expenses. To bring in funds, Soviet athletes were granted permission to participate in a wide variety of Western pro venues, including U.S. harness racing, European bicycling, Japanese wrestling, the National Hockey League, U.S. boxing, European soccer, and the National Basketball Association.
