MOSCOW, April 15 (R-Sport) - Russia's success at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics proves that increased government control over sport is the most advantageous policy, the country's sports minister said Tuesday.
In an address to lawmakers, Vitaly Mutko said simply doling out cash to the individual sporting federations clearly doesn't work.
"My position and the position of the country's president is very tough: We should have a strengthening of the role of the state (in sport)," he said. "It's not that we want the increased responsibility, but the federations are financed out of state coffers anyway," he said.
"I see how the federations work: Two years before the Olympics they set their own targets of maybe fifth or sixth place," Mutko said, implying they rest on their laurels. "Some people suggest giving everything to the federations and expecting results."
The Sochi Olympics and Paralympics were wildly successful for Russia, which finished at the top of both medal tables for the first time in years with record medal hauls.
"I understand that this might seem excessive, where you take responsibility for everything, but look at the table, there's the result," Mutko said.
"If we had taken another route, it wouldn't have worked out like that."
The challenges for Russia to deliver on the sporting stage will not let up over the next few years, with the country's first Formula One Grand Prix set for October, the world aquatics championships in Kazan next year and the 2018 football World Cup, among other events.
