Physical Culture and Sports Committee of the Soviet Union
The Physical Culture and Sports Committee under the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union was a main body of Soviet executive power in physical culture and sports originally established in August 1920 as part of the Soviet vsevobuch.
In 1936 it was transformed into an All-Union committee and a State committee.
At first it was established as interdepartamental commission, Supreme Council of Physical Culture which included representatives of Vseobuch, People's Commissariat of Enlightenment, People's Commissariat of Healthcare, trade unions, Russian League of Communist Youth, and sports-gymnastics societies. It also was a consultative agency to Vseobuch. Since 1923 and until 1936 it was a special agency of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union.
Its main duties included
- development and review of programs, provisions, regulations, and guidelines on physical education;
- organization and holding of sports competitions;
- general management of sports organizations;
- preparation of physical culture cadres ;
- monitoring of the physical education of students;
- medical control over the health of those engaged in physical culture and sports.
Chairmen
All-Union Committee on Physical Culture and Sports
On 1 April 1936, the All-Union council on Physical Culture was transformed into the All-Union Committee on Physical Culture and Sports in 1936–1953 and 1954–1959.| All-Union Committee on Physical Culture and Sports | Period in office |
| Ivan Kharchenko | 1936–1937 |
| Aleksandr Zelikov | 1937–1938 |
| Vasiliy Snegov | 1939–1945 |
| Nikolay Romanov | 1945–1948 |
| Arkadiy Apollonov | 1948–1951 |
| Nikolay Romanov | 1951–1959 |
In 1953–1954 it was part of the Ministry of Healthcare and in 1959–1968 it was governed by the Union of Sports Societies and Organizations.
After 1968 it was known as Sportkomitet and Goskomsport.