both the Commons and the Lords; former AC Milan striker George Weah only narrowly missed out on becoming President of Liberia. But the number of athletes who represent United Russia suggests that they have been very deliberately recruited.

One reason for this was the disillusionment with the traditional political elite after the chaos of the Yeltsin years. When Putin came to power at the turn of the millennium, the Russian masses were fed up with the Nomenklatura, the bureaucratic class that ran the Kremlin, and wanted fresh faces from all parts of the country. So Putin needed to cast a wider than normal net, and must have paid attention to newspaper Kommersant's annual survey which asks Russians across the country who they think of as 'the elite'. The results reveal a colourful mixture, not just of politicians, but also TV anchors, ballerinas and sports stars. Similarly, a state-run think-tank conducts an annual survey about the perceived personal qualities of star footballers.

The benefits of this sportocracy are

many. Domestically, the athletes' glamour further ingrains United Russia's overwhelming popularity. Abroad, their recognisable faces leverage Russia's global brand. Putin, himself a former Leningrad judo champion, and now Medvedev, are seen alongside symbols of success and strength. Importantly, in a country where many of the older generation suffer from alcoholism, the athletes promote sobriety.

For their part, the athletes are able to promote their sports, work towards the 2014 Winter Olympics that Russia will host in Sochi, and pursue an exciting career. Many have a public service ethos, many genuinely believe in the United Russia project. A few, as one foreign observer put it, "see little difference between promoting United Russia and promoting Pepsi".