Edited and translated by Huang Jin, People's Daily Online

The influential British sports marketing research agency SPORTCAL has published its latest report on the influence of sports powers in 2014. Thanks to the success of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi, Russia took first place in the ranking, while China, which has occupied a leading position for the past two years, fell to fourth place.

Russia, which took second place last year, led the ranking with 45.589 points. Canada rose by 2 places to second, and Britain defended its "bronze". As a result, China was ranked in 4th place with 36.881 points.

SPORTCAL said that the rating is assessed according to the number of world multi-sport events and championships in a country in the recent past and the near future.

Due to the fact that China successfully hosted the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2008, it ranked first in 2012 and 2013. However, activities from 2008 drop out of the ranking from this year, so it is natural that China should concede first place.

Read the Chinese version:世界体育国家指数俄罗斯名列第一中国第四; Source:Xinhua