The Future of National Sports: Traditions in the Modern Context

More than 20 million people regularly take part in national and non-Olympic sports in Russia. Developing national sports is a key tool for preserving the identity of different people in the modern world. At the same time, sports that are traditional for many nations, as well as non-Olympic sports with modern packaging, have great marketing potential and can appeal to a global audience. For example, obstacle racing has become a clear trend in mass sports. Multi-format events are also becoming more popular. One of the most successful examples is the World Nomad Games, where the Russian team successfully competed under the country’s national flag. What potential do the World Nomad Games have? How can national sports maintain continuity and gradually achieve international recognition? How will obstacle racing develop going forward? What tools are being used to popularize traditional sports and games? How do festival formats help promote national sports? What does the media think about the potential of national and non-Olympic sports?