Kids in Russia need a lot of motivation. It is incredibly challenging to do sport in a country where brutal winters, a conservative society and an entrenched sporting hierarchy stand in your way. But no matter the barriers - a new generation of kids in Russia are leading the way, and with a new-found freedom and attitude they are redefining what it means to do sport in Russia.

In this World Cup year, as the host Nation, Nike Russia (not a sponsor of the tournament) needed to hijack the conversation and shift it from football to a celebration of the bad-ass attitude of Russian pioneers. We celebrated this unique mindset through Never Ask Stories in different sports, providing inspiration for all Russians to follow their footsteps.

A series of films highlighting the rebellious spirit of unique Russian athletes.

The spot we’ve entered showcases Aleksandr Maltsev, the first and only professional male synchronized swimmer in Russia.

The films are part of the ‘Never Ask’ campaign, a message encouraging athletes to circumvent the culture of ‘Permission Denied’ so prevalent in Russia by Never Asking for permission in the first place.