The Russians called the main obstacles to regular sports
Among the reasons are lack of time, high cost of training, lack of motivation and lack of affordable sports infrastructure. Men play sports more often than women, and with age the desire for activity decreases
Interest in sports among Russians is much higher than the level of regular physical activity. The main obstacle to regular exercise, they called the lack of time. This is stated in a joint study of the ICMR center (GFC-Rus LLC) and the analytical platform V-PROJECT (RBC has).
According to the survey, 71.5% of respondents at least occasionally follow sports events, but only 30% regularly play sports. Another 32.5% exercise less than two to three times a week, and 37.5% do not exercise at all.
The lack of time was cited by 43% of respondents, the high cost of classes - 28%, the lack of motivation - 25%. Another 13% of respondents cited the lack of affordable sports infrastructure as an obstacle.
The study was conducted from 12 to 15 October 2026 by online survey. It was attended by 722 respondents from different regions of Russia, of which 46.5% are men and 53.5% are women.
People are willing to play sports more often if it becomes more accessible. The main factors that could contribute to sports, the study participants called the availability of sports facilities (38%) and a decrease in the cost of training (36%). At the same time, 54% prefer to study independently at home or on the street.
The survey also revealed differences in male and female athletic activity. Among men, 34% regularly play sports, among women - 14.5%. 21% of men and 43% of women do not play sports.
The highest proportion of regularly engaged in sports was recorded among respondents aged 18 to 24 years - 50%. In the group of 25-34 years, this figure is 43%, and among respondents over 65 years old, it falls to 15%.
In addition, 45% of respondents believe that there are enough opportunities for sports. Another 21% reported a lack of affordable options, and 19% reported a lack of suitable offers.
A May poll by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTSIOM) showed that more than half (62%) of working Russians exercise weekly. About the availability of programs to support sports at work said 41% of employees. The most popular form of corporate support was compensation for sports expenses. 42% of respondents believe that the employer should cover the cost of season tickets and inventory.
Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova previously noted that only 11.5% of Russians lead a healthy lifestyle. By 2030, this figure is planned to increase by 1.5 times. In the future, Russians will be able to live up to 120 years.
RBC launched a special project - "Autumn Marathon". Let’s look at the sports industry from different angles: from the funding of federations to sales of sports equipment, corporate health programs and investment attractiveness of sports projects. On October 22, at 14:00 Moscow time, a direct line with the Minister of the Government of Moscow, the head of the sports department of Moscow Alexei Kondarantsev will be held on the air of RBC and Radio RBC. Send questions to the hotline through the form on the site.
