Part I - Part II What was so attractive in going West for a Soviet professional amateur? Money of course and very good money at that. How it was made? Read on... I’ll have to throw some numbers here because without them, you won’t be able to appreciate what kind of money I’m talking about. For example, it wouldn’t make much sense for me to make reference to Soviet roubles, you … [Read more...]

My last post was ended with a question – if neither ideology nor a prospect of a lucrative professional contract were the motivational factors behind Kapitonov’s sporting career (and by implication, thousands of other athletes like him in many different sports), what was it then? If you, dear reader, were waiting for a third alternative, I hate to disappoint you – there’s none. … [Read more...]