Russian Olympians turn political strongmen

A hulk famed for bodylifting his 20-stone opponents; a precocious diva who swung somersaults in the air with impossible grace. Both are now working in Parliament. An impressive number of Russia's sporting legends - gymnasts, skaters, wrestlers, footballers and boxers - now hold public positions of real responsibility within Vladimir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev's United Russia ruling party.

Alexander 'The Experiment' Karelin (right) was the legendary Greco-Roman wrestler who won three Olympic golds. He now serves a region of Siberia and the Ministry of International Affairs. Late last year, while listening to complaints about low military pensions in a packed hall in the rural south, he had to rebuke an autograph hunter. Svetlana Khorkina, the gymnast who won seven Olympic medals, is part of a brigade of young female athletes elected to the Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, late last year. She takes care of social problems among Russia's youth.

Natalia Karpovich, a boxer who celebrated her wedding vows with a bout against her groom, is another young MP. Her political work included objecting to a resolution on the Ukrainian famine. Other athletes turned politicians include Alina Kabaeva, the rhythmic gymnast reportedly seen kissing Putin in a Moscow restaurant, Siberian boxer Aleksei Tishchenko, and Vladislav Tretyak, possibly the greatest goalkeeper in ice hockey history. All three are Olympic champions.

Speed-skater Svetlana Zhurova, now deputy speaker of the State Duma, explained why Russia had increased their medal tally at the 2006 Winter Olympics: "We performed so well because our president loves sports and is an athlete himself."

Obviously, these Russians are not the first sporting legends to take their popularity into politics: Sebastian Coe went from running in the Olympics to running the Olympics via both the Commons and the Lords; former AC Milan striker George Weah only narrowly missed out on becoming President of Liberia. But the number of athletes who represent United Russia suggests that they have been very deliberately recruited.

One reason for this was the disillusionment with the traditional political elite after the chaos of the Yeltsin years. When Putin came to power at the turn of the millennium, the Russian masses were fed up with the Nomenklatura, the bureaucratic class that ran the Kremlin, and wanted fresh faces from all parts of the country. So Putin needed to cast a wider than normal net, and must have paid attention to newspaper Kommersant's annual survey which asks Russians across the country who they think of as 'the elite'. The results reveal a colourful mixture, not just of politicians, but also TV anchors, ballerinas and sports stars. Similarly, a state-run think-tank conducts an annual survey about the perceived personal qualities of star footballers.

The benefits of this sportocracy are many. Domestically, the athletes' glamour further ingrains United Russia's overwhelming popularity. Abroad, their recognisable faces leverage Russia's global brand. Putin, himself a former Leningrad judo champion, and now Medvedev, are seen alongside symbols of success and strength. Importantly, in a country where many of the older generation suffer from alcoholism, the athletes promote sobriety.

For their part, the athletes are able to promote their sports, work towards the 2014 Winter Olympics that Russia will host in Sochi, and pursue an exciting career. Many have a public service ethos, many genuinely believe in the United Russia project. A few, as one foreign observer put it, "see little difference between promoting United Russia and promoting Pepsi". ·