The Moscow Playbook
How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power
Book •
The book fully examines the intersection of Russian sports and geopolitical power, from the dominant Soviet teams of past Olympics to recent doping scandals and international sanctions.
With new research from Olympic archives, records of the Soviet bloc and current Russian media, it shows how Moscow's leaders have defied the rules of the game for decades as the world's governing bodies turned a blind eye.
Featuring oligarchs, sportocrats, and famous athletes from Olga Korbut to Alex Ovechkin, this is a timely investigation into the gears of power, nationalism, and money that drive the Russian sports machine.
With new research from Olympic archives, records of the Soviet bloc and current Russian media, it shows how Moscow's leaders have defied the rules of the game for decades as the world's governing bodies turned a blind eye.
Featuring oligarchs, sportocrats, and famous athletes from Olga Korbut to Alex Ovechkin, this is a timely investigation into the gears of power, nationalism, and money that drive the Russian sports machine.
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Caleb Zakarin
Bruce Berglund
Bruce Berglund, "The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power" (Triumph Books, 2026)
