Sportmaster
Sportmaster is a Russian sporting-goods retail chain offering sports equipment, apparel, footwear, and related products through stores in several Eurasian markets.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Sportmaster is a Russian sporting-goods and sportswear retail chain founded in 1992. The business began as Ilion, a company established by Nikolay and Vladimir Fartushnyak, Alexander Mikhalsky, and Dmitry Doikhen to supply German Kettler fitness equipment to the Russian market. Its early development was therefore tied to imported exercise equipment rather than to a broad multi-category retail format. The company opened its first Kettler-Sport store in Moscow in 1995. In 1996, Sportmaster was registered as a trademark, and in 1997 the first store carrying the Sportmaster name opened. These steps marked the transition from a specialist distributor and single-brand retail concept to a broader sports-goods chain. By the middle of the 2000s, the business had expanded to more than 100 stores in Russia. In 2005, the original Ilion company was liquidated and replaced by Sportmaster LLC. Sportmaster’s retail proposition covers sports equipment, fitness products, sports clothing, footwear, outdoor goods, and accessories. The chain has operated across a number of price and participation segments, serving customers buying equipment for recreational fitness, team sports, running, outdoor activities, and everyday active lifestyles. Its assortment has included both internationally sourced products and merchandise sold through the group’s own retail and brand structure. In 2003, the group created O'STIN, a casual-clothing brand that became a separate company in 2005; O'STIN is related to the wider business history but is not the same retail brand as Sportmaster. The company began international expansion with Kazakhstan in 2011 and opened a store in China in 2013. By 2019, Sportmaster was reported to have 495 stores in 230 cities across Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and China, with approximately 23,000 employees. The group later entered Uzbekistan, opening a store in Samarkand in 2023. Its geographic footprint and store count have changed over time, and the available reference material does not establish a current consolidated figure. Sportmaster remains privately owned rather than publicly listed according to the available material. The founding shareholders remained central to its ownership structure, while Leonid Strakhov was reported as holding a minority stake and serving as general director in Russia from 2003. Dmitry Doikhen, one of the founders, reportedly left the business in 2019. Sportmaster appeared in Forbes Russia rankings of the 100 largest Russian companies by net profit in 2023 and 2024, although the available reference does not provide the underlying financial figures. The brand is best understood as a large Russian-origin sporting-goods retailer with a regional Eurasian presence, rather than as a globally dominant sportswear manufacturer.
History
Sportmaster traces its origins to Ilion, founded in 1992 by Nikolay and Vladimir Fartushnyak, Alexander Mikhalsky, and Dmitry Doikhen. Ilion initially supplied German Kettler exercise equipment to Russia. This distribution activity provided the foundation for a specialist retail business at a time when modern sporting-goods retail was still developing in the Russian market. In 1995, the founders opened Moscow’s first Kettler-Sport store, focused on Kettler fitness equipment. The Sportmaster trademark was registered in 1996, and the first store using the Sportmaster name opened in 1997. The new format broadened the business beyond a single equipment supplier and established the name that would become the group’s principal sporting-goods retail identity. The chain expanded rapidly in Russia during the late 1990s and 2000s. By the middle of the 2000s, it reportedly operated more than 100 Russian stores. In 2003, the wider group launched O'STIN as a casual-clothing brand. O'STIN became a separate company in 2005, while the original Ilion company was liquidated and replaced by Sportmaster LLC in the same year. International expansion followed. Sportmaster opened its first store in Kazakhstan in 2011 and entered China in 2013. By 2019, the chain had reached 495 stores in 230 cities across Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and China, and the reported workforce was approximately 23,000. The business subsequently entered Uzbekistan, opening a Samarkand store in 2023. The company has remained privately owned. The founders were reported as the principal shareholders at the end of 2022, with Leonid Strakhov holding a smaller stake. Strakhov had served as general director in Russia since 2003. Dmitry Doikhen, one of the original founders, reportedly left the business in 2019. Sportmaster was included in Forbes Russia’s ranking of the 100 largest Russian companies by net profit in both 2023 and 2024, ranking 68th and 98th respectively. The available reference does not provide the financial amounts behind those rankings. Sportmaster’s documented development is therefore a progression from imported fitness-equipment distribution to a large multi-category sports retailer with operations extending beyond Russia into several Eurasian markets.
- 2023
Uzbekistan market entry
[1]Sportmaster opens a store in Samarkand, entering Uzbekistan.
- 2019
Regional store network reaches reported peak scale
[1]Sportmaster is reported to have 495 stores in 230 cities across five countries and approximately 23,000 employees.
- 2013
China expansion
[1]The company opens a store in China.
- 2011
Kazakhstan expansion
[1]Sportmaster opens its first store in Kazakhstan.
- 2005
Sportmaster LLC replaces Ilion
[1]Ilion is liquidated and Sportmaster LLC takes its place; O'STIN becomes a separate company.
- 2003
O'STIN is created
[1]The wider group creates O'STIN, a casual-clothing brand that later becomes a separate company.
- 1997
First Sportmaster store opens
[1]The first store operating under the Sportmaster name opens.
- 1996
Sportmaster trademark is registered
[1]The Sportmaster name is registered as a trademark for the future retail network.
- 1995
First Kettler-Sport store opens
[1]The company opens its first Moscow store, focused on Kettler fitness equipment.
- 1992
Ilion is founded
[1]Nikolay and Vladimir Fartushnyak, Alexander Mikhalsky, and Dmitry Doikhen establish Ilion to supply German Kettler fitness equipment in Russia.
Products and positioning
A broad-format sports and active-lifestyle retailer serving mass-market and recreational consumers through a multi-category assortment of equipment, apparel, footwear, and accessories.
Clothing
Sports apparel
Sportmaster’s core retail assortment includes clothing for training, outdoor activities, team sports, and other active pursuits. The apparel category forms part of the chain’s broad sports and active-lifestyle proposition rather than a single-sport specialist format.
Footwear
Sports footwear
The retailer sells sports and active-lifestyle footwear alongside apparel and equipment. The available material identifies footwear as a general product category but does not specify a complete current brand or model assortment.
Fitness equipment · 1992
Fitness equipment
Fitness equipment was the company’s original commercial focus. Ilion began by supplying German Kettler exercise products, and the first Kettler-Sport store in Moscow specialized in this category before Sportmaster developed into a multi-category sports retailer.
Equipment
Outdoor and sports equipment
Sportmaster’s broad format includes equipment and accessories for outdoor recreation, training, team sports, and other sporting activities. The reference material does not provide a definitive category-by-category current assortment.
Fitness products · 1992
Kettler products
Kettler fitness equipment was central to the company’s founding distribution business and to the original Kettler-Sport store concept. Kettler is therefore an important part of Sportmaster’s early history, although the available source does not establish its current retail status within Sportmaster.
Brand decisions
2023
Entry into UzbekistanStrategyBackground
The retailer continued developing its presence in Central Asian markets.
Action taken
Sportmaster opened a store in Samarkand.
Aftermath
The opening added Uzbekistan to the markets associated with the brand’s regional expansion.
2013
Entry into ChinaStrategyBackground
Sportmaster continued its regional expansion beyond Russia and Kazakhstan.
Action taken
The company opened a store in China.
Aftermath
China was included in the company’s reported five-country store network in 2019.
2011
International expansion into KazakhstanStrategyBackground
After building a substantial Russian store network, Sportmaster began extending its retail model into neighboring markets.
Action taken
The company opened its first Kazakhstan store.
Aftermath
Kazakhstan became part of the chain’s documented regional footprint.
2003
Diversification into casual clothingStrategyBackground
The group sought to extend beyond sporting goods into broader apparel retail.
Action taken
It created the O'STIN casual-clothing brand.
Aftermath
O'STIN became a separate company in 2005 and remained distinct from the Sportmaster retail brand.
1997
Launch of the Sportmaster retail formatStrategyBackground
The business had established a specialist fitness-equipment retail presence under the Kettler-Sport name.
Action taken
The first store carrying the Sportmaster name opened, supporting a broader multi-category retail identity.
Aftermath
Sportmaster became the principal name associated with the expanding sporting-goods chain.
1995
Move from distribution into branded retailStrategyBackground
The founding business initially supplied Kettler fitness equipment to Russia.
Action taken
The company opened the first Kettler-Sport store in Moscow, creating a direct retail channel.
Aftermath
This store-based model preceded the registration of the Sportmaster trademark and the opening of the first Sportmaster store.
Recent events
- 2024
Sportmaster appears again in Forbes Russia’s largest companies by net profit ranking[1]
Other
The company was listed 98th in the corresponding Forbes Russia ranking for 2024.
- 2023
Sportmaster enters Uzbekistan with a Samarkand store[1]
Other
Sportmaster expanded into Uzbekistan by opening a store in Samarkand.
- 2023
Sportmaster appears in Forbes Russia’s largest companies by net profit ranking[1]
Other
Sportmaster was listed 68th in Forbes Russia’s ranking of the 100 largest companies in the country by net profit.
- 2019
Sportmaster reaches 495 stores across five markets[1]
Other
The company was reported to operate 495 stores in 230 cities across Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and China, with about 23,000 employees.
- 2019
Dmitry Doikhen leaves the Sportmaster business[1]
Leadership change
Co-founder Dmitry Doikhen was reported to have exited the business.
Sources1 sources
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