CSKA Moscow

CSKA Moscow (Russian: ЦСКА Москва) is a Russian multi-sports club based in Moscow. It is a federal autonomous institution of the Ministry of Defence (Russian: Федеральное автономное учреждение Министерства обороны Российской Федерации «Центральный спортивный клуб Армии»). CSKA Moscow is part of the wider Ministry of Defence sports committee that includes military clubs in other cities of the Russian Federation. While not on the official list of the Russian Olympic Committee members, CSKA Moscow fielded many athletes in world-class competitions, including the Olympics. The club was created in 1923 as part of the Vsevobuch, based on the OLLS, the Skiing Society, which was founded in 1901. Later, during the Soviet era, it was the central part of the Armed Forces sports society, which in turn was associated with the Soviet Army; because of this, it was popularly referred to in the West as "Red Army" or "the Red Army team". The historical CSKA sports club (a.k.a. "Big CSKA") is still a department of the Russian Defense Ministry. Following the 2023 publication of the International Olympic Committee's criteria for the reinstatement of Russian athletes (they were suspended in February 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine), athletes affiliated with CSKA Moscow were officially prohibited from attending the Olympic Games until at least 2026.