Participation of voluntary sports societies in public and political campaigns of late stalinism

On the basis of archival documents and materials from periodicals, the article examines the involvement of voluntary sports societies (DSO) of the Voronezh region in social and political life. Sports competitions had a pronounced ideological character, designed to emphasize the superiority of the socialist system. The most massive were the annual Days of Athletes and competitions for the prizes of the Voronezh regional newspaper "Communa". Athletes participated in election campaigns to the Supreme Soviets of the USSR, RSFSR, regional and local councils of peoples courts. The athletes were active participants in campaign teams, precinct election commissions. Sports competitions were an integral part of all mass campaigning events of the late Stalinist period.