THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT IN DONBASS AT THE TURN OF THE 19th–20th CENTURIES

The article is devoted to the question of development of physical culture and sport in Donbass in the turn of 19th – 20th centuries. The aim of this work is the historical investigation of the main trends and features of historical development of sport and physical culture in Donbass in the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries. The accent has been made on the main directions of Donbass sport culture in this period. The emergence of the physical culture and sports movement became one of the new and progressive directions in the development of the national culture of the 19th century. Donbass sport culture was represented by such sport trends as cycling, wrestling, fencing, tennis, weightlifting, football and etc. It has been concluded that the Donbass sports movement developed in close connection with the activities of the leading industrial enterprises of the region and was an important element of the culture of leisure activities for the residents of Donbass. There is no unequivocal opinion about the existence of a single founder of Donbass sports. The most significant contribution to the development of sports and physical culture in the Donbass region was made by V.D. Dancic and A.A. Podgaysky.