The Dhaka Times Desk Really surprised to read such a news. Russia's birth rate can increase World Cup football! World Cup 2018 football will increase the birth rate of Russia - this is what the country's experts think!
Demographic experts in Russia believe that even after the World Cup ends on July 15, the country's citizens will be interested in the tournament. They will keep an eye on whether there is a significant change in the birth rate of the country hosting the World Cup.
Studies in various countries also show that there is a correlation between success in sports and increased birth rates.
This can certainly be good news for Russia. The reason is that since 1992, the population growth rate of Russia is quite low. Which means that every year the number of deaths is more than the number of births.
According to some studies, it is also estimated that the population of Russia may decrease from 14.3 million to 11.1 million by 2050. Population decline is thought to be due to high death rates, low birth rates and low standards of living.
According to the latest World Bank statistics, Russia's birth rate is 13 per thousand. That's more than the UK and many EU countries.
However, if compared with 1960, this birth rate is almost half. In most countries, the decline in birth rates was not so great.
The Kremlin is also very concerned about this problem. In November last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched various reforms aimed at increasing the birth rate.
Pamphlets were distributed among low-income families to promote population growth, with one of the main proposals being that the state would cover the cost of the first 18 months of a newborn baby's maintenance.
Can football really play a role in the birth rate?
It was widely publicized in the UK that winning and hosting the 1966 World Cup led to an increase in the birth rate there. However, significant evidence in favor of this issue was found in 2007.
An analysis of data from German hospitals nine months after the 2006 World Cup revealed that Germany's birth rate had increased to 15%.
Statistics and research data
Obstetrician Rolf Klich told the German media about this, "Feelings of happiness cause the release of special hormones and help with conception."
"A lot of people are very excited during an event like the World Cup and that excitement is reflected in other activities."
According to data from the Brazilian Department of Statistics, monitoring the birth rate in Brazil in March 2015 shows that the birth rate has increased by about 7 percent compared to the previous year.
It doesn't even take an entire tournament to measure football's role in increasing birth rates. In a 2013 British Medical Journal study, they used the term 'Generation Iniesta' to explain it.
It is known that in May 2009, at the end of the Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona reached the final by beating Chelsea with a goal by Andres Iniesta. Just 9 months later, in February 2010, there was evidence of an increase in birth rates to 16% in hospitals in Catalonia.
On the other hand, this correlation of success in football with increasing birth rate has also been recognized in Italy. Barcelona were defeated by AS Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals of the 2018-19 season. AS Roma's Twitter account then humorously advertised the club's own children's products.
It was written in the tweet that, "In 9 months we may get an opportunity to sell them."
What happened to the birth in Iceland?
Iceland also benefited from a match. As the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup, Iceland defeated England in the European Championship in June 2016. About 27,000 visitors from Iceland went to see the tournament, which is about 10 percent of the country's total population.
Nine months later, Icelandic media reported that a record number of babies had been born in their country. The 2018 World Cup is expected to have a similar effect on Iceland's population. Iceland started the season on a high note with a draw against a big team like Argentina in their first match.
What can happen to Russia?
The lowest ranked country in this year's World Cup is the host Russia. But by defeating Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the Russians have almost confirmed the second round. Therefore, the country's experts expect a huge improvement in the birth rate next year.
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