December 14, a souvenir sheet “XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi. Sports Legends» to be issued



The second issue is dedicated not only to famous Soviet Olympic champions, but also to the founding fathers of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, whose names are written in golden letters in the world sports history.

Klavdiya Sergeyevna Boyarskikh (1939–2009) was a Soviet cross-country skier, an Honoured Master of Sport and a holder of the Badge of Honour Order. In 1959, she won the USSR junior women championship. At the 1966 World Ski Championship in Oslo she was the first in the 10 km, won silver in the 5 km and gold in the 3х5 km relay. K. Boyarskikh won the 1965 Holmenkollen Ski Festival in the 10 km, and in 1967 – in the 5 km.

Vsevolod Mikhailovich Bobrov (1922–1979) was a Soviet leader of football and ice hockey teams, awarded the Order of Lenin. In the USSR championships he played for the Army Club CSKA Moscow in 1947-1957 and for Moscow Air Force team in 1950 –1953 as a playing coach in the first two seasons. He scored 254 goals in 130 matches. He scored 34 goals in 25 matches at the World and European championships and the Olympics. In 1956 V.M. Bobrov was the leader of the Olympic national ice hockey team who won gold medals. He scored 332 goals in total, of which 34 – for the USSR national team.

Tatyana Borisovna Averina (1950–2001) was a Soviet multiple champion in speed skating multidiscipline events and distances; she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour. The sportswoman won silver medals at the 1974-1976 World Championships in multidiscipline events. At the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics she won gold medals in the 1000 m and 3000 m. Tatyana Averina became a world champion in multidiscipline events and in the 1000 m and 1500 m.

Pierre de Coubertin (1863–1937). He was the originator of the project to revive the Olympic Games. At the Sorbonne Congress on June 23, 1894, a historical decision was made to establish the International Olympic Committee that Coubertin headed as the Secretary General. The Pierre de Coubertin medal is awarded by the International Olympic Committee for honour and true spirit of “fair-play” sportsmanship in the Olympic Games. The IOC considers the Pierre de Coubertin medal to be the highest honour an athlete can receive.

Ludwig Guttmann (1899–1980) was a neurologist and a founding father of the first Paralympic Games and International Stoke Mandeville Sports Federation for disabled people, as well as the British Sports Association for the Disabled. Ludwig Guttmann received numerous British and international awards and honorary titles. In 1950 году оhe was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire and then promoted to Commander. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and knighted “for help to paraplegics”.

The postage stamps depict: K.S. Boyarskikh, V.M. Bobrov, T.B. Averina, the Olympics and Paralympics founding fathers P. de Coubertin and L. Guttmann. The souvenir sheet margins have pictures of the athletes at competitions and games, the logo of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi.

An illustrated cover is to be issued with souvenir sheets and FDCs with cancellation inside.

Design: О. Ivanova.
Face value: 15 rub. each stamp.
Size of stamp: 32,5х32,5 mm, size of sheet: 180х87 mm.
Form of issue: a souvenir sheet of 5 stamps.
Circulation: 130 thousand sheets.

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