Unified Sports Classification System of Russia

In the Soviet period Unified Sports Classification System of the USSR (Russian: Единая Всесоюзная спортивная классификация) existed.

The first Unified Sports Classification System in modern Russia was introduced in 1994, it was designed for the period until 1996.

Starting in 1949, it was revised every four years, the period, which corresponded to the Olympic cycle, to reflect new standards for the physical training.

As of the 1970s, there were following ranks for athletes of the USSR (listed in descending order of value): Each of these titles was awarded only for results on the official competitions.

[citation needed] This system was popular among Soviet satellite states and was used in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Poland, and Romania until the breakup of the USSR in 1991.

[citation needed] On 30 January 1952, the title Merited Master of Sport of the USSR was awarded to Agustín Gómez Pagóla,[6] who was born in Spain and started to play football there, but moved to the USSR during the Spanish Civil War in 1937, and played for Torpedo Moscow in 1947–1954,[7] being the team captain in 1951–1953.