Unified Sports Classification System of the USSR

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Unified Sports Classification System of the USSR (Russian: Единая Всесоюзная спортивная классификация) was a document, which provided general Soviet physical education system requirements for athletes. The classification was established in 1935 and was based on separate classifications, which existed for several sports disciplines before. Since 1949 it was revised every four years, the period, which corresponded to the Olympic cycle, to reflect new standards for the physical training. The document contained test standards, principles and conditions, necessary for the conferment of sports ranks and titles, for all sports, cultivated in the USSR. The principle and names of some ranks might have originated from a similar classification for civil servants in 19th century Russia.

As of the 1970s, there were following ranks for athletes of the USSR (listed in descending order of value):

Master of Sports of the USSR, Distinguished/Honored
Master of Sports of the USSR, International Class
Master of Sports of the USSR
Candidate for Master of Sports
First-Class Sportsman
Second-Class Sportsman
Third-Class Sportsman
First-Class Junior Sportsman
Second-Class Junior Sportsman
Third-Class Junior Sportsman

Each of these titles was awarded only for results on the official competitions. Athlete, who qualified for the rank, was awarded a badge.

This All-Union system existed until the breakup of the USSR in 1991. Meanwhile, some former Soviet republics, for example, Russia and Belarus still maintain similar sports ranks system.

The title of Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR was awarded to foreigners several times. In particular, in 1972, to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the USSR this title was awarded to the following prominent athletes^[1]:

Maria Gigova^[1]
András Balczó (modern pentathlon, Hungarian Sportsman of the Year in 1966, 1968, 1969)^[1]
Karin Janz^[1]
Li Ho-Jun (1972 Olympic Champion in shooting)^[1]
Teófilo Stevenson^[1]
Khorloo Baianmunkh^[1]
Włodzimierz Lubański^[1]
Nicolae Martinescu (1972 Olympic Champion in amateur wrestling)^[1]
Ondrej Nepela^[1]

The title "Distinguished Master of Sport" was also awarded to an American:

Scott Sonnon (1993 World University Games Sambo Silver Medalist, 1994 Pan-American Champion, 1995 USA Grand National Champion, USA National Sambo Team Coach in 1993-1995, 1999)^[2]