Alter Haudegen
Registered User
- Dec 7, 2004
- 365
- 0
johnny_rudeboy said:Ok, I do grasp the difference between the systems. And I dont try to defend the Soviet system, I defend the athletes that came out of that system. There seem to be a common idea that the Russians where only soo good cause they where forced to play ice hockey (or any other sport) while the athletes from other countrys just do it for fun. As soon as an athlete have reached the top there is a lot of people who depend on that person to stay at the top. It can be his team who own his contract, it can be the sponsors who need their selling star to produce, it can be a country who need to show how good that countrys athletes are etc.
And for being drafted by the army to become a soldier/officer. Russia is not the only country who use that system. We have that system in Sweden as well even if it is on its way out. And belive me not all the people who have to spend time in the army likes it. And if the country wants it army to work that way should the ones who do sports not be drafted as well? Find that argument strange.
There is a difference between National service like in Sweden and being forced to become an officer like the Soviet hockey Federation used to control their players. An officer in the Red Army couldn't leave the country to play in the West because he was a secret carrier.