Putin
Tells Russians to Get Active
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin, often portrayed
as a sports-loving action man, urged Russians on Wednesday to
follow his lead and improve their health by getting more active.
Putin, who is frequently seen on television skiing and practising
judo, told a Kremlin meeting of the State Council presidential
advisory body that physical exercise was vital to the health of
the nation.
He said the Kremlin was keen to promote physical activity in
Russia, and that sport was essential to ``the quality of life
of Russian citizens, their social and psychological well-being
and also their physical health.''
Putin's drive to take the nation's health in hand is reminiscent
of broad social campaigns conducted during Soviet days. The last
of these was former leader Mikhail Gorbachev's failed anti-alcohol
drive in the 1980s.
But in a nation where smokers are welcome almost anywhere and
it is not unusual to see commuters cracking open a beer on their
way to work on the metro, sports-loving officials may have their
work cut out.
While Russian athletes are world-renowned in skating, ice hockey,
swimming, gymnastics and track and field, Putin said only 10%
of the population were active in sport.
Official figures show that the average Russian can expect to
live around 65.5 years, compared with over 76 years in the United
States. Smoking, alcohol and poor healthcare are seen as the main
culprits.
``We have an unforgivably low life expectancy,'' he said.
Putin said sport had always held a special place in Russian life,
but in recent years it had declined due in part to a lack of funding
and facilities.
He said the number of sports centres in the country had fallen
about 20% since 1991, and that Russia's elite athletes had turned
elsewhere for top-notch facilities.
``It is not a secret that for many years our (top) athletes have
gone to train abroad,'' Putin said.
He added that illness in children had risen by more than 24%
in the last 2 years, by 32% in adolescents, and 13% in adults.
Reference
Source 89
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