Problems and Prospects for the Development of the Ethno-Sports Movement in the Sverdlovsk Region

Abstract

In order to identify existing problems and prospects for the development of the ethno-sports movement in order to further expand the sphere of physical culture and sports in the region, the article analyses the formation and development of ethnic sports in the Sverdlovsk region. The study has been conducted for several years with the employement of such methods as questionnaires and social surveys, the analysis of literature and official documents, the projection method. The survey questions concerned the awareness of students of the Institute of Physical Education regarding the development of ethno-sports in the country and in the region. A low level of awareness of the development of the ethno-sports field among Bachelors of Physical Education was identified, which is a main problem of the subject matter. As a result of the deep research into problems of the promotion of ethnic sports, it was decided to elaborate and implement the pilot project ‘ETHNIC Festival’ aimed at the popularisation of ethnic sports in the city of Yekaterinburg. An analysis of official documents has shown that the region is now actively developing federations for traditional Russian sports, however, they are not very popular among the population. The current activities in the field of ethno-sports are not sufficient to attract the general public to the process. The obtained data indicated the urgency of the popularisation and cultivation of national sport disciplines and competitions. A sociological survey of EthnoFestival participants showed that one of the ways to revive national games and sports is to hold mass events to popularise ethno-culture.