“SWIMMING FOR ALL“ PROGRAMME IN RUSSIA BOOST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SWIMMING INFRASTRUCTURE Author Photos
Elizabeth Fadeeva, Russian Association of Sports Facilities (RASF) prorus.ru
On the way to a healthier nation, Russia wants to increase the number of people of all demographic backgrounds engaged in swimming from 2.4 million to 3 million by 2024. The “Swimming for All” programme calls for efforts in infrastructure. The Russian Association of Sports Facilities, as one of the authors of the programme, has monitored the condition and performance of swimming pools in various regions of the Russian Federation. The market for aquatic and wellness facilities holds large potential for development. In 2019, as part of the implementation of the federal “Demography” project, the interdepartmental programme “Swimming for All” was adopted. The programme is designed for different age and social groups, and it provides figures on the construction of municipal swimming pools for swimming, as well as on teaching children to swim as part of educational programmes. Through the development of swimming infrastructure, the Russian Federation aims not only to raise life expectancy to 78 years, but also to increase the percentage of citizens who systematically engage in physical activity and sport to 55 %. The Russian interagency programme “Swimming for All” is guided by the global programme “Swimming for All – Swimming for Life” initiated by the International Swimming Federation (FINA). The goal of the Russian programme “Swimming for All” is to increase the number of people engaged in swimming of all categories of the population from 2.4 million to 3 million by 2024. In fact, training and swimming are impossible without the development of infrastructure geared to the needs of various categories and population groups. Developing national standards To start with, the construction of new swimming pools is being carried out in urban agglomerations with popu lations of 30,000 to 500,000. There are 506 agglomerations nationwide inhabited by a total of 54
49 million people. Existing swimming pools are being renovated and modernised in order to meet modern pool requirements and ensure their multifunctional use. The target indicators of the programme are being achieved not only with the aid of federal, regional and municipal budgets, but also by private investors financing the construction of swimming pools. A subcommittee called “SWIMSTANDART” has been created within the Technical Committee for Standardisation to ensure that the new pools meet modern requirements. The committee develops national standards for the design and use of swimming pools. For example, a standard for stainless steel pools is currently being developed based on the experience of such countries as Germany and Austria. Facts and figures The Russian Association of Sports Facilities, as one of the authors of the “Swimming for All” interdepartmental programme, has monitored the condition and performance of swimming pools in various regions of the Russian Federation. At present, there are 5,855 swimming pools operating nationwide to teach the population to swim, provide physical activity and health services, and conduct sports training. Among the swimming pools, 1,400 belong to general educational organisations. Among the available swimming pools, only 3 % have a 50-m pool, while 51 % have a 25-m pool. 2,454 pools are made of concrete, which is 92 % of the total, while 6 % are made of stainless steel. Touch pads sb 3/2021
