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 two spots we’ve entered showcase: Aleksandr Maltsev, the first and only professional male synchronized swimmer in Russia, and Elena Fedoseeva, a blind runner who participated in dozens of races.

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.