Russians watched the performance of the Russian team at the London Olympic with big interest and pride. Russians are satisfied with the results of the Russian team, but to let Russia perform better, the athletes should be trained harder.
MOSCOW, August 16, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of the study concerning the attitudes of Russians towards the 2012 London Olympics and the upcoming Sochi Olympics.
The share of Russians who watched the Olympics is 76%, including 27% of Russians who watched all sports competitions, 16% of those who watched only those competitions that Russian team had chances to win, and 33% of those who watched the sports competitions they were interested in. Those who watched all the Olympic competitions are basically Russians aged 35-44 (32%) and residents of middle cities (38%). Young Russians watched selected games (54%). Residents of million cities often chose the competitions that Russian team had chances to win (26%); Muscovites and St.Petersburgians chose what to watch according to their interest (38%). Twenty-four percent of Russians paid no attention to the Olympics; they are elderly respondents (28%) and residents of big cities (30%).
Russians were interested (37%) and felt proud (39%) watching the summer Olympics in London. There is a decrease in the number of those who felt disappointed (14% in 2012 versus 46% during the Vancouver Olympics in 2010) or irritated (4% versus 14% in 2010). Those who felt proud are basically elderly respondents (46%) and residents of middle cities (47%); those who watched the games because of the interest are young respondents (48%) and residents of million cities (51%).
According to a relative majority of respondents, the Russian team performed the way Russians were expected it to do (44%); they are mainly 23-34-year-old Russians (49%). The share of those who were disappointed is big enough (29%), though this proportion has substantially decreased compared to 2010 (70%). They are mainly 35-44-year-old Russians (33%). Thirteen percent of respondents say that Russian athletes performed much better than they expected.
In general, Russians assess the performance of the Russian Olympic team as successful (58%). They are basically young respondents (59-60%) and Russians aged 45-59 (58%). The share of those who say the performance was unsuccessful is 30% (compare with 76% of those assessing the Vancouver Olympics); most of them are Russians aged 35-44 (35%).
According to those who say the performance of the Russian ream was unsuccessful, the reason for this is the poor training (23%); respondents reported the same in 2010, after the Vancouver Olympics (24%). Other reasons are as follows: lack of attention to sport, in particular, kids sports (10%); lack of patriotism among athletes (9%); poor work of coachers (6%); no special conditions to train athletes (5%); poor work of the Olympic Committee and sports federations (4%); lack of young sportsmen (4%). Respondents also mention misappropriation of budget money, bureaucracy and corruption, lack of funding, simply bad luck (2%, for each), and unfair referring (1%).
In order to let Russia perform better during the next Olympics Russians say there should be more training (34%, in 2010 – 20%). The funding should be increased (10%); an Olympic reserve should be created (9%); better conditions to train athletes, as well as free kids sport should be set up (7%, for each). Respondents also propose to develop mass sport and patriotism (5%, for each); to strictly control the process of training of athletes (3%). Some respondents support the idea to change the leaders of the federations, Olympic committee and to renew the coaching staff (4%).
Most of Russians still feel confident that Russia will be capable of repeating the success of the organizers of the Olympics in the number of gold medals won (51%). At the same time, the number of those who are skeptical about Russia winning most of gold medals at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 has increased (from 21 to 37%). Those who are confident that the Russia will repeat the success of the previous organizers are residents of middle cities (58%) and young Russians (58%). Those who disagree with them are metropolitan residents (48%) and Russians aged 35-44 (43%).
Russians are divided in their opinion on what should be the top priority for Russia in 2014: the victory or the highest level of organization of the Olympics. Fifty-one percent of respondents believe that it is more important to be on the first place in the number of gold medals, while 44% put more attention to the organization of the games, and the number of those sharing this stance has increased over the recent years (from 39% in 2010). Those who say Russia should focus on the victory are basically young Russians (56%) and residents of million cities (64%). Those who say that the most important thing is the proper organization of the Olympic games are Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (54%).
The Initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on august 11-12, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Did you watch the London Olympics? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| Summer Olympics in London, 2012 | Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2010 | Summer Olympics in Beijing, 2008 |
Yes, I regularly watched the broadcast of all the sports | 27 | 25 | 32 |
Yes, I only watched the sports that Russia had chances to win medals | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Yes, I watched only those sports I was interested in | 33 | 33 | 30 |
No, I did not watch the Olympics | 24 | 23 | 22 |
What did you feel watching the Russian team performing in London? (close-ended question, one answer, % of those who watched the Games)
| Summer Olympics in London, 2012 | Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2010 |
Pride, patriotism | 39 | 9 |
Disappointment, sadness | 14 | 46 |
Interest | 37 | 18 |
Dissatisfaction, irritation | 4 | 14 |
No strong emotions | 5 | 8 |
Hard to tell | 0 | 5 |
Does the results of the Russian Olympic team`s performance match your expectations? (close-ended question, one answer)
| ||
| Summer Olympics in London, 2012 | Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2010 |
Russian team performed better than I expected | 13 | 1 |
Russian team performed the way I expected | 44 | 14 |
Russian team performed worse than I expected | 29 | 70 |
Hard to tell | 14 | 16 |
How would you assess the performance of the Russian team at the 2012 London Olympics? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| Summer Olympics in London, 2012 | Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2010 |
Perfect | 7 | 1 |
Rather good | 51 | 9 |
Rather bad | 26 | 38 |
Failure | 4 | 39 |
Hard to tell | 13 | 14 |
If you consider that the Russian team performed poorly, can you tell us why? (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % of those who consider the performance as a failure)
| ||
| Summer Olympics in London, 2012 | Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2010 |
Poor training | 23 | 24 |
No conditions to train athletes; no one helps them | 5 | 7 |
Poor work of the leaders of the Olympic Committee and sports federations | 4 | 7 |
Lack of attention to sports, especially to kids sports | 10 | 6 |
Money spent wrongly | 2 | 5 |
Bureaucracy and corruption | 2 | 4 |
Poor work of coachers | 6 | 4 |
Poor refereeing; medals were bought | 1 | 4 |
Lack of funding | 2 | 4 |
Simply bad luck, it happens | 2 | 3 |
Anti-sports mood; lack of patriotism among athletes | 9 | 3 |
No new faces | 4 | - |
Other | 1 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 38 | 39 |
What should be done to help Russia perform better at the next Olympics? (open-ended question, not more than three answers) | ||
| Summer Olympics in London, 2012 | Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2010 |
More training; to change the program of training | 34 | 20 |
More funding | 10 | 8 |
Change the leaders of the Olympic Committee, sports federations and coaching staff | 4 | 8 |
Create good conditions to train new athletes(new sports training centers) | 7 | 7 |
Develop kids sports for free | 7 | 5 |
More attention to new athletes; build an Olympic reserve | 9 | 5 |
Find better and more qualified staff | 7 | 5 |
Develop mass sport | 5 | 4 |
Strictly control the process of training of athletes, of spending money; fight against corruption | 3 | 3 |
Teach young athletes patriotism | 5 | 2 |
Return Russian athletes working abroad back to Russia | 0 | 1 |
Other | 1 | 4 |
Hard to tell | 23 | 41 |
The next Olympics will take place in Sochi. In our opinion, will Russia being the organizer of the Games succeed in winning most of gold medals as Canada and China did? (close-ended question, one answer)
| ||
| 2012 | 2010 |
Absolutely, yes | 11 | 19 |
Rather yes | 40 | 42 |
Rather no | 31 | 17 |
Absolutely no | 6 | 4 |
Hard to tell | 12 | 18 |
In your opinion, what is more important for Russia? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2012 г. | 2010 г. |
To organize the 2014 Olympics properly, no matter how Russian team performs | 44 | 39 |
To perform perfectly during the 2014 Olympics and to win the first place in the number of gold medals | 51 | 53 |
Hard to tell | 5 | 8 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!