“Swimming for All“ programme in Russia

“SWIMMING FOR ALL“ PROGRAMME IN RUSSIA

BOOST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SWIMMING INFRASTRUCTURE

Author Elizabeth Fadeeva, Russian Association of Sports Facilities (RASF) Photos 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 populations of 30,000 to 500,000. There are 506 agglomerations nationwide inhabited by a total of 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

are available for only 111 swimming pools, another 65 pools have a movable partition, twelve pools have a moving floor and 450 pools have equipment for people with restricted mobility.

The share of swimming pools commissioned since the year 2000 is approximately 69 % (3,893 swimming pools), while the percentage of pools commissioned before 2000 is 31 % (1,761 swimming pools), most of them requiring rebuilding or major repairs. Most swimming pools are located in large cities and regional centres, so the issue of the availability of physical activity and sport for the population with the necessary infrastructure is becoming more and more acute.

• There is an uneven distribution of pool facilities in relation to territorial and demographic figures (in the republics of Khakassia, Altai and Dagestan, for example, there are more than 100,000 people aged 3 to 79 per swimming pool.) • Data for Moscow: » 39 % of the swimming pools are owned by municipalities; » 329 aquatic facilities have in total 388 pools; » Only 15 % have a 50-m pool and 33 % have a 25-m pool; » 48 % of the swimming pools went into operation after 2006. • In St Petersburg, 75 % of the swimming pools went into operation after 2006. • In the regions, the percentage of the pools commissioned before 1991 and those built after 2006 is the same (examples from Yaroslavl Oblast and Chelyabinsk Oblast). • Most of them have a 25-m concrete pool.

Example from Luzhniki In July 2019, a new aquatic sports centre was built in Luzhniki. The new swimming centre is a versatile, multifunctional and all-season complex designed for both professional athletes and amateurs. The building has six floors. With a total area of 58,000 m², the aquatic complex is three times larger than the previous one and can receive up to 10,000 visitors a day.

The ground floor accommodates an artificial wave simulator. The aquapark on the second floor features nine water attractions unique in Russia with a total length of more than 1,200 m, entertainment pools, a children’s water town, as well as a 50-m competition pool with ten lanes, built to Olympic standards. On the third floor, there are two 25-m swimming pools and a thermal spa with Tyrolean and Mediterranean baths.

The aquatic sports centre houses Russia’s first pool with a hydraulic floor for visitors and children. The bottom of the pool can be raised to a depth of 10 cm for small children and lowered to 1.25 m for people with limited mobility. The complex features a fitness centre, a boxing academy, a spa with an artificial beach, a salt room and an area for play and creativity. The aquatic complex is equipped with the latest water treatment system. Half of the building is covered with a polycarbonate transformer roof.

Three-storey aquatic centre in Almetyevsk Located in the Republic of Tatarstan, the Miras multifunctional sports complex opened at the end of 2018. The construction of the three-storey centre on an area of over 12,000 m² took barely a year. The 50-m swimming pool with ten lanes for free swimming, synchronised swimming, water polo, diving and free diving is built to international standards and can host competitions of the highest level. The solid pool purchased from an Austrian manufacturer is made of high-quality stainless steel and meets international sanitary and epidemiological standards. The overflow pool works with vertical water circulation instead of chlorination, and the water in the pool is purified by ozonation. The Miras sports and recreation complex includes swimming pools for children and adults, a gym, a universal gym, a group exercise room, a table tennis room and a children’s room. The pool fully complies with Olympic standards, ranging from its size to its electronic timekeeping system.

Summary The Russian market for aquatic and wellness facilities is now actively developing to international standards. The development of aquatic infrastructure has received priority status. Russia actively cooperates with international companies in the field of water treatment and equipment. By 2024, Russia hopes to meet the goal of increasing the number of people engaged in swimming in all categories of the population from 2.4 million to 3 million.