Text 3 b

“Staiki” Olympic Sports Complex

The name “Staiki” immediately calls to mind ¹ a sports and dwelling complex

covering 26 hectares in a wonderful forest on a bank of a lake, 18 km away from Minsk known

far beyond Belarus². It has excellent indoor and outdoor top-class sports facilities, offers good

accommodation and meals to athletes.But some 25-30 years ago one could hardly find

anybody who knew the place. Before 1947 there was practically nothing there. In the summer

of 1947 a few tents appeared near the village Staiki and Belarusian athletes were getting ready

for the Moscow National sports parade in its fields. Everybody liked the place and the

Government took a decision to begin construction work in the area. In 1956 there were only

some brick houses and a “hand games” stadium ³ in Staiki.

By 1962 a club-canteen, two indoor gymnasiums, health rehabilitation centre and a hotel

accomodating 260 people had been built. Up to 1969 the sports camp received athletes only in

summer which was naturally not enough⁴ and the idea came to turn it into a round-the-year Belarusian training camp ⁵.Some best teams first gathered in Staiki in 1970. Women volleyball players, fencers, free-style and Greco-Roman wrestlers were training for the coming competitions⁶. Wrestlers’ success at the XX Munich Olympic Games made Staiki still more popular and the Sports Committee passed a resolution to make it an Olympic sports camp.

Today the motto of the sports centre “Staiki” is simple: “Your satisfaction is what counts”⁷.

Everything is at hand here⁸: a canteen, cafe, library with a reading hall, cinema and concert halls, fully equipped fitness rooms and rehabilitation centre. Sports facilities are up-to-date and well-equipped. It welcomes visitors both to high-level training and leisure or holiday stays.⁹

Notes:

¹ calls to mind - вызывает в памяти

² known far beyond Belarus - известный далеко за пределами Беларуси

³ “ a hand games”stadium - стадион для ручных игр

⁴ which was naturally not enough - что действительно было недостаточно

⁵ into a round-the-year Belarusian training camp - в круглогодичный белорусский тренировочный лагерь

⁶ for the coming competitions – к предстоящим соревнованиям

⁷ “Your satisfaction is what counts.” – зд. “Для нас главное – чтобы вы были довольны.”

⁸ is at hand here – зд. находится под рукой

⁹ It welcomes visitors both to high-level training and leisure or holiday stays. – зд. Посетители здесь могут не только проводить тренировки на высоком спортивном уровне, но и развлекаться и отдыхать.

Vocabulary and Speech Exercises

Ex. 1. a. Match a verb in A with a noun in B:

A B

to offer construction work

to take a resolution

to begin accomodation

to pass visitors

to welcome a decision

b. Fill in the gaps with the above word combinations to describe the sports centre “Staiki”:

1. In 1947 the Government … …to build a sports centre 18 km away from Minsk.

2. Athletes liked the place and … … …

3. After the XX Munich Olympics Sports Committee … … to make “Staiki” an Olympic sports camp

4. “Staiki”… …to high-level training and leisure.

5. “Staiki” …. good… and meals to athletes from different countries.

Ex.2. To prove the above statements find in the text the paragraphs describing:

“Staiki” 25-30 years ago;

“Staiki” today

Ex.3. Complete a list of facilities and equipment athletes are offered for successful training

in “Staiki”:

1. an indoor gymnasium

2. _________________

3. _________________

4. _________________

5. _________________

Ex. 4 a. How did the sports complex “Staiki” begin? Read the statements below and agree to them saying “That’s right” or disagree saying “That’s wrong”:

1. The sports complex “Staiki” was already known 30 years ago.

2. The Government took a decision to built a sports complex before World War II.

3. The stadium for “hand games” was built in Staiki in 1956.

4. In 1969 the sports complex “Staiki” was reorganized into a round-the-year training camp.

5. Belarusian Gymnasts’ success at the XX Olympic Games made Staiki more popular.

6. Today “Staiki” welcomes visitors mostly for holiday stays.

b. Find in the text and read aloud the sentences that prove your answers.

Ex. 5. Comment on the motto of the sports centre “Staiki”: “Your satisfaction is what counts” .

Task 6. Learn the following sports management terms you will come across in Text 3C:

1. non-governmental association – общественное объединение

2. statute n – устав

3. Olympic Charter – Олимпийская Хартия

4. Executive Board – Исполнительный Комитет

5. representation n – представительство

6. revenue n– доход

7. patronage n- патронаж

8. commercial item – зд. товар, изделие

9. donation n – пожертвование

Task 7. Read the text and say what kind of organization the NOC of Belarus is.

Text 3 C

THE NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus was established on March 22,1991. It is a non-governmental association, the Statute and role of which follows the Olympic Charter and the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Physical Culture and Sport”. It was officially recognized at the 101^st IOC Session held in Monaco in September 1993.

The NOC unites 74 organizations including 30 Olympic summer sports federations, 5 Olympic winter sports federations, 18 regional sports organizations.

For the first time Belarusian athletes participated in the Games of the XV Olympiad in 1952 in Helsinki as members of the USSR team. Since 1994 athletes of Belarus have taken part in the Olympic Games as an independent team.

Following the decision of the NOC General Assembly and the Executive Committee the Representations of the NOC and Olympic Fund were opened in all regional centres of the country.

The main task of the NOC of Belarus is to select Belarusian athletes and teams for the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, to make all the arrangements for getting teams there, to work with the governing bodies and sponsors, to train the athletes for the Games.

The NOC receives some funding from the International Olympic Committee but mainly it is financed by its marketing programmes, the licensing of the use of its logo on commercial items, the construction of dwelling houses for athletes and coaches, the donations made by sponsors, the revenue from the functioning of sports venues.

The revenue is used for organizing sports competitions under the NOC patronage, for training and taking athletes to major international competitions.

True to the Olympic ideal the NOC supports not only high level sport. Under its patronage various sports events, competitions, sporting festivals are annually organized in Belarus. The most popular are the “Olympic Day Run” and “The Olympians Are Among Us” Festival with thousands of participating children – the future of Belarusian sport.