Dr. Philos., professor V.I. Stolyarov^{1, 3}
Dr. Hab., associate professor A.G. Abalyan¹
Dr. Hab., associate professor T.G. Fomichenko¹
PhD, Associate Professor S.A. Vorobev^2
1Federal Scienсe Center of Physical Culture and Sports (VNIIFK), Moscow
²FSBI «Saint-Petersburg Scientific-Research Institute For Physical Culture»,Saint-Petersburg
³Russian State University Of Physical Education, Sport, Youth And Tourism, Moscow

Objective of the study was to survey the COVID-19 pandemic effects on the popular physical education and sports in Russia by the population groups and health categories.
Methods and structure of the study. We surveyed, for the purposes of the study, different population groups using CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interview) and CAWI (Computer Assisted WEB Interview) technologies, plus focused interviews with elements of the modern facial scanning technology in 16 focus group discussions for the gender, age and population groups. We sampled 85 regions of the Russian Federation representing different economic/ cultural zones and rural/ urban communities to survey 11,964 people in total, including families with 3-5 year-olds (n =1325); 6-12 and 13-29 year-olds (n=4881); 30-50 year-olds (n=3314); and 60+ year-olds (n=2444). The study was run under the federal contract of the Ministry of Sports with the Federal Science Center of Physical Culture and Sport (VNIIFK) supported by the Russian State Social University experts to advance the National “Demography” Project and federal “Sports as the Life Norm Project.
Results and conclusion. The survey found one of three respondents seeing no changes in their physical education and sports activity, including 40.1% of the families with 3-5 year-olds; 30.2% of the 13-29 year-olds; 35.6% of the 30-59 year-olds; and 34.2% of the 60+ year-olds. However, the modern digital technologies showed low physical activity (1.2-3.7%) in every population group – explainable by the limited access to the health technologies or the technologies being poorly customizable for the individual needs and user skills of the population groups. The survey confirmed the need for serious revision of the theoretical attitudes to the social barriers for physical education and sports, their communal and individual benefits, physical education and sport service toolkit improvement, customizing and modeling issues, as well as the physical education and sports advocacy system. It should be mentioned that the survey data should be perceived and analyzed conservatively, with further surveys recommended to correct and complement the data by sound empirical and theoretical contents.

Keywords: questionnaire survey, COVID-19 pandemic, physical education, people’s physical activity.

References

1. Order of the Government of the Russian Federation of November 24, 2020 No. 3081-r «On approval of the Strategy for the development of physical culture and sports in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030» / Official Internet portal of legal information http://pravo.gov.ru, 30.11. 2020, «Collected Legislation of the Russian Federation», 07.12.2020, No. 49, Art. 7958.
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